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UNIVERSITY  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 
LIBRARY 

SPECIAL 

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375 
B24 
1811 


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TWJLXlK^KJl^  1    «^xv^i.x^ 


COLLEGE 


SOURCE 


A 

GUIDE 


FOR 


Young  Shepherds ; 


OR 


FACTS  AND  OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  CHARACTER 
AND  VALUE  OF 

MERINO  SHEEP: 


WITH    RULES    AND    PRECEPTS    FOR    THEIR 
MANAGEMENT,  AND  THE  TREATMENT 
^->'  OF    THEIR    DISEASES, 

As  well  as  of 

SHEEP  IN  GENERAL. 

C0LLE(J7ED 

FROM    THE    LAfESf  AND    BESf    IVRIfERS    ON    THESE 

SUBJECTS,    AND    CONFIRMED    BT   THE 

EXPERIENCE    OF   THE    AUTHOR 

AND    HIS    FRIENDS* 


BY  SAMUEL  BARD,  M.  D. 


NEW-YORK : 

PRINTED    AND    SOLD    BY    COLLINS    8c   CO. 
NO.    189,    PEAKL-STKEET. 

1811. 


JjifniS}  of  Neiv-Tofky  ss. 


B> 


►  E  IT  REMEMBERED  that  on  the  twentieth  day  of 
May,  in  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  Collins  &  Co.  of  the  faid 
(L.  S.)      Diflrict,  have  depofited  in  this  office  the   title  of  a   book, 
the  right  whereof  they  claim  as  proprietors,  in  the  words 
and  figures  following,  to  wit .  "  A   Guide  for  Toung  Shep- 
herds ;   or  Fach  and  Obfervations  on    the  Character  and  Valut 
of  Merino  Sheep  :   zvith  Rules  and  Precepts  for  their  Manage- 
»;^;;f ,  and  the  Treatment  of  their  Diseajes^  as  nvell  as  of  Sheep  in  General. 
Collected  fro^n  the  latejl  and  befl  tur iters  on  thefe  fub/e^is,  and  confrmed  by 
the  experience  of  the  author  and  his  friends.      By   Samuel  Bard^  M.  D." 
IN  CONFORMITY  to  the  Adt  of  the  Congrefs  of  the  United 
States,  entitled  "  An  A(£l:  for  the  Encouragement   of  Learning,  by 
fecuring  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books  to  the  authors  and 
proprietors   of  such  copies,   during  the   time  therein   mentioned." 
And  alfo  to  an  A(5l,  entitled  *'  An  Ad-,  fupplementary   to  an  Ad:, 
entitled  an  A&.  for  the  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  fecuring  the 
copies  of  Maps,  Charts  and  Books  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of 
iuch  copies,  during  the  times  therein  mentioned,  and  extending  the 
benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  defigning,  engraving,  and  etching  his- 
torical and  other  prints." 

CHARLES  CLINTON, 
Clerk  of  the  DifriSi  of  Nezv-Torl: 


INTRODUCTION. 


J.  HE   Merino  sheep  furnishes  the  wool  from 
which  all   the  superfine    cloths  of  Europe   are 
made ;  and  without  which,  cloths  equally  fine, 
supple,  and  elastic  cannot  be  made.     This  fact 
sufficiently  establishes  the  great  value  and  im- 
portance of  this  animal,  and  renders  it  a  very 
desirable  object  to  every  country,  in  which  he 
will  thrive,  to  procure  and  rear  him.     But  until 
the  present  revolution  in  Spain,  all  other  coun- 
tries have  been  in  a  great  measure,  and  until  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century  were  wholly  de- 
pendant on  that  country  for  this  necessary  article, 
arising  from  an  opinion  that  the  fineness  of  the 
Merino  fleece,  and  the  softness  and  elasticity  of 
the  wool    depended   on  the    soil,    climate,   and 
pasturage  of  Spain,  and  the  journies  he  was  there 
compelled  to  take  twice  a  year  in  search  of  food. 
This  opinion  was  first  put  to  the  test  of  experi- 
ment in  Sweden  in  the  year  1723  ;  in  the  years 
1765  and  1768  Saxony  followed  her  example, 
and  since  that  period.  Merinos  have  been  intro- 
duced into  Prussia,  Austria,  many  of  the  Ger- 
man States,  France,  Switzerland,  Italy,  and  Eng- 


jy  INTRODUCTION. 

land,  and  with  such  success  as  to  prove  beyond 
all  controversy  that  in  all  these  countries  Merino 
sheep  will  not  only  thrive  and  increase,  but  that 
with  common  care  and  proper  management,  the 
animal  will  be  greatly  improved  in  his  size  and 
shape ;  whilst  at  the  same  time,  in  the  progress 
of  near  a  century,  even  in  the  inhospitable  climate 
of  Sweden,  his  wool  has  lost  nothing  of  its  pe- 
culiar qualities  and  superior  excellence. 

Lastly,  our  own  country  has  made  the  experi- 
ment, and  from  the  patriotic  exertions  of  Chan- 
cellor Livingston  and  Col.  Humphreys,  we  have 
now  for  more  than  eight  years  had  an  opportunity 
of  becoming  acquainted  with  this  most  valuable 
animal,  of  proving  that  he  will  thrive  with  us  as 
well  as  in  any  other  country,  and  of  learning  the 
necessary  means  of  his  preservation  and  improve- 
ment ;  just  in  time  to  participate  in  the  oppor- 
tunity which  the  present  war  in  Spain  and  Portu- 
gal has  afforded  to  procure  an  ample  supply  from 
the  best  flocks  in  Spain.  The  spirited  enterprize 
of  our  merchants  has  not  suffered  the  occasion  to 
pass  by  ;  and  wc  now  possess  a  sufficient  number 
of  Merino  sheep,  from  the  best  flocks,  to  render 
us,  in  no  great  length  of  time,  not  only  independ- 
ent of  all  other  countries  for  so  necessary  an  arti- 
cle of  our  clothing,  but  probably,  to  become  ex- 
porters of  fine  wool  to  other  countries. 

Upon  so  interesting  a  subject,  every  step  we 
advance  is  of  great  consequence  j  although  there- 


INTRODUCTION.  V 

fore  much  has  been  ah'eady  written,  and  we  pos- 
sess many  excellent  works  of  the  English  and 
French  agriculturalists  upon  it,  and  one  in  parti- 
cular from  the  accurate  pen  of  Chancellor  Livings- 
ton, I  have  likewise  ventured  to  add  my  mite, 
and  to  suppose  that,  by  collecting  and  arranging  in 
a  lucid  order  the  facts  and  observations  which  are 
to  be  found  dispersed  in  the  several  works  I  have 
met  with,  so  as  to  form  the  whole  into  something 
like  a  methodical  system  for  the  management  of 
sheep  in  general,  and  of  Merinos  in  particular, 
a  treatise  might  be  formed  interesting  to  the  pub- 
lic, and  particularly  useful  to  many  individuals, 
who,  with  little  knowledge  of  the  subject,  are 
desirous  of  entering  into  so  promising  a  specula- 
tion :  especially  at  this  moment,  when  great 
numbers  of  Merino  sheep  have  just  arrived 
among  us,  and  when  many  of  our  enterprising 
young  men  are  turning  their  thoughts  from  the 
envious  competition  of  professional  pursuits, 
from  the  hazardous  speculations  of  the  counting- 
house,  and  from  the  enervating  dissipation  of  a 
city  life,  to  the  calm,  safe,  healthy,  and  delightful 
occupations  of  rural  employments. 

Such  are  the  pretensions  of  this  little  work, 
and  although  the  writer  does  not  pretend  to  so 
much  experience  as  to  say  he  has  tested  every 
fact  and  observation  which  he  has  produced,  or 
even  every  rule  which  he  has  laid  down,  yet  they 

^2 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

all  stand  on  good  authority,  and  after  several 
years  careful  practice,  he  may  probably  be  al- 
lowed to  form  no  inadequate  judgment  of  their 
truth  and  usefulness. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  Characters  and  ^mlities  of  the  Merino^  as 
it  respects  size — Shape — Fleece — Disposition 
to  fatten— -Constitution — Temper — Longevity 
' — Different  flocks — and  of  the  effects  and  emo- 
lument of  the  cross  with  common  sheep. 

Character  of  the  Merino, 

IjESIDES  the  excellence  of  his  wool^  the  Meri- 
no possesses  many  qualities  which  recommend 
him  to  the  attention  of  the  farmer.  In  size,  he  is 
rather  a  small  sheep,  as  all  fine  and  short-woolled 
sheep  are ;  but  this,  so  far  from  being  a  defect,  is 
one  circumstance  which  should  particularly  re- 
commend him  to  the  farmers  of  the  middle  dis- 
tricts of  this  country,  whose  pastures  in  general 
are  better  calculated  for  small  animals  of  every 
description  than  for  the  large-boned,  heavy 
breeds,  which  have  nothing  to  recommend  them 
but  size  and  strength,  and  which  will  starve  on 
feed  that  will  not  only  support  to  advantage  less 
animals,  but  which  will  actually  make  a  return  of 
more,  as  well  as  better  wool  and  mutton  per  acre 
from  small  sheep,  than  stronger  land  will  give 
from  such  as  are  very  large.  Of  this  assertion 
no  better  proof  can  be  given  than  a  fact  stated  by 
Lord  Somerville,  who,  when  he  first  entered  on 
the  breed  of  small,  short-woolled  sheep,  had  been 


8  The  Shepherds*  Guide, 

for  twelve  preceding  years,  raising  a  large  iong- 
woolled  breed,  with  a  mixture  of  BakewelFs  cele- 
brated New  Leicester.  He  describes  his  farm, 
situate  in  the  vale  of  Taunton,  one  of  the  most 
fertile  spots  in  the  kingdom  ;  yet  he  found  these 
large  sheep  depreciate  in  size  at  the  rate  of  near 
five  pounds  per  quarter  in  every  four  years. 
Upon  making  the  change,  he  at  once  put  150 
Ryelands,  a  small  close-woolled  sheep,  upon  the 
same  land  which  had  carried  only  45  of  the  large 
breed  ;  and  notwithstanding  a  severe  winter,  the 
ewes  maintained  themselves  tolerably  well,  and 
the  lambs,  at  weaning  time-,  were  in  the  best  order. 
The  Merino  is  a  hearty  feeder,  and  not  deli- 
cate in  the  choice  of  his  food,  but  will  feed  on  a 
greater  variety  of  plants  than  most  other  sheep, 
and  keep  himself  in  good  condition  on  moderate 
pasture.  From  this  circumstance,  connected 
with  his  disposition  to  fatten  at  an  early  age,  very 
considerable  profits  may  be  derived  from  wethers 
by  keeping  them  as  a  dry  flock,  until  they  are 
three  years  of  age.  The  shape  of  the  Merino  is 
that  point,  which,  in  the  eye  of  an  English  farmer, 
or  of  those  who  have  formed  their  opinion  in 
imitation  of  his,  is  most  objected  to.  His  throat 
is  thick,  and  incumbered  with  a  loose  pendulous 
skin,  or  dewlap,  accompanied  by  a  corresponding- 
hollow  in  his  neck,  nor  in  general  among  those 
imported,  do  we  find  that  strait  back,  round 
shoulder,  broad  hip  and  loin,  and  full  ham  which. 


The  Shepherds^  Giiick,  9 

most  recommend  sheep  to  the  grazier  and  butcher; 
yet  his  defects  in  these  respects  are  to  be  attributed 
rather  to  neglect  in  breeding,  and  hard  usage, 
than  to  natural  constitution  ;  as  among  them  many 
well-shaped  animals  are  to  be  found,  and  by 
judicious  selection  in  breeding,  good  keep,  and 
comfortable  shelter,  all  may  be  so  far  improved  as 
to  satisfy  the  most  prejudiced  eye.  This  is  an 
observation  made  in  every  country  into  which  he 
has  been  introduced,  but  has  been  most  particu- 
larly exemplified  in  the  French  national  flock  at 
Rambouillet,  by  some  gentlemen  in  England, 
particularly  by  Lord  Somerville  ;  and  by  Chan- 
cellor Livingston  in  this  country,  whose  sheep 
from  the  Rambouillet  flock,  have  increased  con- 
siderably in  size  under  his  judicious  and  careful 
management,  whilst  at  the  same  time  they  have 
preserved  the  fineness  and  other  qualities  of  the 
wool  unimpaired. 

I  have  ventured  to  assert  that  the  wool  of  the 
Merino  is  that,  without  which  the  superfine  cloths 
of  Europe  cannot  be  made.  It  is  known,  however, 
that  other  animals  as  well  as  some  breeds  of  sheep, 
such  as  those  of  Shetland,  Iceland,  and  Cash- 
mire,  carry  finer  wool  than  the  Merino,  but  the 
fine  wool  of  the  two  first  exists  but  in  small  pro- 
portion to  the  whole  fleece,  and  is  so  mixed  with 
coarse  long  hair,  as  to  unfit  it  for  any  considera- 
ble mcinufacture  ;  we  know  too  little  of  the  Cash- 
mire  sheep  to  say  how  far  they  may  rival  the 


10  The  Shepherds'  Guide, 

Merino,  whose  fleece  is  not  only  remarkably  fine, 
but  the  fine  wool  is  more  equally  spread  over  his 
whole  frame  ,*  and  the  weight  of  the  fleece  is 
greater  in  proportion  to  his  size  than  that  of  any 
breed  known  ;  his  forehead,  cheeks_,  belly,  and  in 
general,  though  not  universally,  his  legs,  down  to 
his  very  hoofs  are  covered  with  wool. 

Mr.  Laysterie  informs  us,that  in  the  year  1801, 
the  Rambouillet  flock  yielded  on  an  average  7 
lbs.  8  oz.  of  unwashed  wool ;  that  some  animals 
yielded  12  lbs.  and  one  in  particular  16  lbs.  of  wool 
unwashed,  and  that  he  had  seen  in  Sweden  rams 
that  yielded  13  lbs.  But  we  know  that  this  wool 
will  lose  from  one  half  to  three  quarters  before 
it  is  fit  for  the  manufacturer.  Sir  Joseph  Banks 
informs  us  that  the  average  weight  of  the  fleeces 
of  the  ewes  and  wethers  of  the  King  of  England's 
flock,  in  the  year  1 799,  was  but  little  more  than  3 
lbs.  3  oz.  after  being  washed  on  the  sheep's  back, 
and  that  this  wool  suffered  a  farther  loss  of  near 
one  fourth  by  being  properly  scoured  ;  so  that  the 
average  of  perfectly  clean  wool  was  not  more 
than  2t  lbs.  In  speaking,  therefore,  of  the  weight 
of  the  fleece,  we  must  not  only  be  careful  to  dis- 
tinguish between  washed  and  unwashed  wool,  but 
we  must  likewise  remember  that  a  great  differ- 
ence exists  between  wool  fit  for  the  manufacturer 
and  that  which  by  a  slight  washing  is  freed  only 
from  some  of  the  superficial  dirt  on  the  surface  of 
the  fleece,  whilst  much  of  the  yolk  is  still  left  in  it. 


The  Shepherds^  Guide.  11 

The  yolk  is  a  greasy  secretion  from  the  skin, 
which,  although  occasionally  found  in  other 
breeds  of  sheep,  especially  when  fat,  always 
abounds  so  considerably  in  the  Merino  as  to  be  in 
some  measure  characteristic  of  the  species.  It  is 
this  substance  which  gives  the  peculiar  softness  to 
his  wool,  which  greatly  improves  its  fulling  and 
felting  qualities,  and  which,  like  all  other  whole- 
some secretions^  is  a  sure  mark  of  the  health  of 
the  animal ;  so  much  so,  that  we  are  assured  by 
all  who  have  had  any  experience  on  the  subject, 
that  wherever  the  yolk  is  found  to  rise  freely,  we 
may  conclude  the  animal  will  thrive.  It  is  from 
the  abundance  and  greasy  nature  of  this  secretion 
in  the  Merino,  that  the  surface  of  the  best  fleeces 
assumes  a  blackish,  or  dark  brown  appearance  ; 
the  yolk  mixing  v/ith,  and  retaining  the  dust  and 
soil,  forms  with  it  a  crust,  which,  at  the 
same  time  that  it  gives  a  dirty  appearance  to  the 
animal,  contributes  to  defend  it  from  the  ill  effects 
of  heat,  as  well  as  cold  and  wet.  Another  and 
most  singular  property  of  the  Merino  is,  that  he 
does  not  shed  his  wool  annually,  as  is  supposed 
to  be  the  case  with  all  other  sheep.  Mr.  Laysterie 
informs  us,  that  in  the  year  1797,  a  ewe  of  Ram- 
bouillet  was  left  unshorn,  and  that  the  next  year, 
1798,  her  fleece  unwashed,  weighed  14  lbs.  10  oz. 
the  filaments  twice  the  usual  length :  that  ano- 
ther, first  shorn  at  the  age  of  30  months,  yielded 
21  lbs.  8  inches  long  ;  although  she  was  5  months 


12  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

of  that  period  with  lamb  :  and  that  in  the  year 
1800,  8  ewes  yielded  fleeces  of  two  years'  growth, 
weighing  from  16  to  20  lbs.  each,  of  double  the 
length  of  staple,  and  of  equnl  fineness  with  those 
shorn  annually.  We  are  not  informed  that  any 
particular  advantage  has  been  derived  from  this 
singular  property  ;  but  it  is  very  probable  that  it 
-will  not  be  long  before  some  new  and  beautiful 
fabric  will  originate  from  it.  The  fibres  of  the 
wool  are  remarkably  waved,  or  curled,  approach- 
ing in  some  measure  to  the  form  of  a  cork-screw, 
so  that  when  drawn  out,  they  will  stretch  to  near 
double  the  length  that  the  wool  stands  on  the 
sheep's  back.  This  circumstance  occasions  the  pile 
to  stand  erect  and  perpendicular  to  the  part  of  the 
skin  to  which  it  is  attached  ;  and  with  the  crust 
of  dirt  and  yolk,  gives  a  peculiar  firmness  to  the 
feel,  resisting  the  pressure  of  the  hand  like  a  soft 
brush,  which  is  considered  a  proof  of  the  greater 
closeness  and  fineness  of  the  fleece.  On  opening 
the  fleece,  the  wool  beneath  appears  very  thick, 
greasy,  and  tinged  of  a  brilliant  yellowish  hue,  by 
the  yolk,  but  when  this  is  washed  out  it  leaves  the 
Avool  of  a  beautiful  xvhiteness.  The  skin  beneath 
is  of  a  fine  rosy  colour,  and  remarkably  soft  and 
loose,  which  condition  of  the  skin  strongly  indi- 
cates good  health,  and  is  always  connected  with 
another  excellence  of  this  sheep,  a  disposition  to 
fatten  at  an  early  age.  On  this  point  all  wri- 
ters agree.     Lord  Somerville  assures  us  that  he 


The  Shepherds^  Guide,  13 

has  found  the  Merino  hi  this  respect  to  equal,  if 
not  exceed  any  short-woolled  sheep  in  England, 
especially  as  it  regards  fattening  at  an  early  age ; 
his  mixed  Merinos  fattening  well  at  the  age  of  18 
months  ;  a  most  valuable  point  as  it  respects  pro- 
fit, because  it  gives  quick  returns,  and  puts  it  in 
our  power  to  derive  a  profit  from  the  butcher  and 
clothier  from  the  same  animal,  and  from  the  same 
quantity  of  pasture,  in  the  same  year. 

In  constitution,  the  Merino  is  a  peculiarly  har- 
dy sheep,  of  which  no  better  proof  can  be  given 
than  the  treatment  he  is  compelled  to  bear  in 
Spain,  where  every  spring  he  is  driven  a  journey 
of  four  or  five  hundred  miles,  from  the  plains  of 
the  south  to  the  mountains  of  the  north,  and 
back  again  in  the  autumn  ;  and  that  at  the  rate  of 
80  or  100  miles  per  week,  and  the  journey  in  the 
spring,  when  the  lambs  are  not  above  four  months 
old.  Few  sheep  but  the  Merino  could  bear  such 
treatment,  by  which,  in  the  opinion  of  the  best  agri- 
culturalists, confirmed  now  by  long  experience, 
the  form  of  the  animal  is  much  hurt,  without  any 
improvement  to  his  wool ;  and  as  Lord  Somer- 
ville  expresses  it,  he  is  really  hunted  into  deform- 
ity. 

He  bears  all  climates,  from  New-Holland  in  the 
34th  degree  of  south  latitude,  to  Sweden,  in  60" 
north  ;  and  in  all,  not  only  without  any  deprecia- 
tion in  the  qualities  of  his  form  and  fleece,  but 
under  proper  management,  with  a  manifest  im- 

B 


14-  The  ShepherdiP  Guide, 

provement  to  both ;  and  although  he  ought  not  un- 
necessarily to  be  exposed  to  it,  he  bears  cold  and 
wet  better  than  most  other  sheep  ;  which  superi- 
ority he  probably  owes  to  the  closeness  and  oili- 
ness  of  his  fleece.  He  bears  to  be  folded  on  fal- 
low grounds  with  a  view  to  their  enrichment,  as 
vrell,  if  not  better  than  the  most  hardy  sheep  in  En- 
gland. But  as  this  practice  is  only  robbing  one  field 
to  enrich  another,  and  on  the  whole  is  rather  con- 
venient than  profitable  ;  and  as  it  is  confessed 
to  be  ahvays  more  or  less  injurious  to  the  sheep  ; 
while  Merinos  continue  so  valuable,  a  judicious 
farmer  will  hardly  put  them  to  such  severe  duty  : 
but  will  be  content  with  the  manure  which  a  well- 
littered  v/inter  fold  will  furnish,  and  with  that 
constant  and  evident  amelioration  which  they 
give  to  the  lands  on  which  they  are  pastured  in 
the  summer. 

His  mutton  is  peculiarly  excellent.  On  this  point 
Lord  Somerville  remarks,  that  **  the  quality  of  the 
flesh  in  each  class  of  sheep  follows  the  character 
of  the  wool ;  that  of  the  short-wooUed  sheep  being 
close  in  the  grain,  heavy  in  the  scale,  and  high  fla- 
voured ;  that  of  long-wooUed  sheep  more  open  and 
loose  in  grain,  and  large  in  size  ;  manufactures 
mutton,  fit  for  such  markets  as  supply  shipping  and 
collieries  :"  and  Sir  Joseph  Banks  states,  that  the 
London  butchers  who  had  bought  some  of  the 
fatted  Merinos  from  the  King  of  England's  flock, 


The  She phercW  Guide*  15 

anxiously  enquired  for  more,  because  the  mutton 
was  so  much  approved  of  by  their  best  customers. 

Although  the  rams  are  remarkable  for  courage 
and  vigour,  yet  as  flocks.  Merinos  are  timid  and 
quiet,  and  hence  are  less  disposed  to  jump  over 
fences  or  break  out  of  enclosures.  They  probably 
owe  this  trait  in  their  character  to  long  habit,  and 
to  having  been  constantly  kept  under  the  care  of 
shepherds  and  dogs  :  and  it  should  suggest  a  cau- 
tion to  breeders  not  to  suffer  them  to  change  this 
admirable  habit  by  running  with  unruly  sheep, 
and  by  good  fences  to  confine  them  as  much  as 
possible  to  their  own  pastures.  The  ewes,  ac- 
cording to  an  observation  of  Lord  Somerville, 
and  which  we  have  likewise  experienced,  are  oc- 
casionally barren,  and  more  frequently  bad  nurses ; 
from  inattention  to  their  lambs,  as  well  as  from 
deficiency  of  milk.  Better  pastures,  however,  and 
better  treatment  soon  conquer  these  defects.  In 
the  mean  time,  a  new  milch  cow,  or  a  foster  mo- 
ther must  supply  the  deficiency  of  milk,  and  a  few 
days  confinement  in  a  small  pen  with  the  lamb, 
frequently  holding  the  ewe  so  as  to  let  it  suck,  will 
soon  make  her  fond  of  it. 

They  are  remarkably  long-lived  ;  and  agreea- 
bly to  this  fact,  Mr.  Pictet  of  Geneva  informs 
us,  that  Merino  sheep  are  longer  in  coming  to  ma- 
turity than  most  other  breeds,  that  they  do  not 
acquire  their  full  growth  until  they  are  three 
years  old  j  and  that  they  shed  and  renew  their 


1 6  The  Shepherds^  Guide, 

teeth  somewhat  later  than  the  native  breeds  of 
France.  Hence  the  ewes  in  general  do  not  so  soon 
take  ram,  and  the  rams  ought  not  to  be  put  so 
early  to  the  ewes.  They  sometimes  keep  their 
teeth  until  they  are  14  or  15  years  old  ;  and  Mr. 
Pictet  mentions  a  ewe  at  least  16  years  old, 
when  she  had  a  lamb  at  her  side.  Mr.  Hunt 
likewise  mentions  two,  which  he  purchased  in 
1805,  then  without  teeth,  and  consequently  not 
under  ten  years  old  ;  both  these  had  lambs  in 
1808,  and  one  of  them  in  1809  had  twins  :  and 
some  ewes  at  Rambouillet,  are  said  to  have  lived 
to  18  years. 

The  last  quality  I  shall  mention  of  this  admi- 
rable animal  is,  that  his  skin  is  thinner,  of  a  finer 
grain,  and  makes  better  and  more  beautiful  lea- 
ther of  that  kind  called  Morocco  than  the  skin 
of  any  other  sheep. 

Among  the  flocks  of  Spain  are  to  be  found  a 
considerable  variety  in  size,  shape,  quality  of 
wool  and  general  appearance. 

Mr.  Laysterie  informs  us,  that  the  best  breeds 
in  Spain  are  those  of  the  Escurial,  the  Gaude- 
ioupe,  the  Paular,  the  Infantado,  the  Montano, 
and  the  Negretti ;  that  the  Escurial  breed  is  ac- 
counted as  to  fineness  of  wool  the  most  perfect 
of  all  the  travelling  flocks  in  Spain  ;  that  the 
Gaudeloupe  sheep  are  remarkable  for  symmetry, 
as  well  as  for  the  quantity  and  quality  of  their 
wool  ;  that  the  Pauli^r  arc  equally  gifted  with  the 


The  Shepherds''  Guide*  17 

two  latter  perfections, but  differ  from  the  preceding 
in  having  a  greater  swell  behind  the  ears,  and 
a  more  evident  degree  of  throatiness  ;  that  their 
lambs,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Infantado  flock,  are 
generally  produced  wldi  a  coarse  hairy  appear- 
ance_,  which  is  succeeded  by  wool  of  an  excellent 
quality  ;  and  that  the  Negretti  flock  is  composed 
of  the  largest  and  strongest  sheep  in  Spain.  He 
adds,  that  the  Paular,  Negretti  and  Escurial,  yield 
wool  so  decidedly  finer  than  any  other,  that  for 
this  reason  none  of  these  piles  were  permitted  to 
be  exported  from  Spain,  but  the  whole  ^vas  retain- 
ed for  the  royal  manufactory  at  Guadalaxara. 
But,  as  of  late  years,  and  particularly  since  the  pre- 
sent war  in  Spain^  many  of  each  of  these  flocks 
have  been  carried  into  France,  England,  and  no 
doubt  other  countries  besides  this  ;  we  shall  soon 
have  it  in  our  power  to  judge  of  their  piles  from 
our  own  experience.  In  the  mean  time  I  can  on- 
ly add,  that  Sir  Joseph  Banks  gives  the  prefer- 
ence to  the  wool  of  the  Paular,  and  next  to  that  of 
the  Negretti,  and  adds,  that  his  opinions  were  con- 
firmed by  those  of  the  British  manufacturers. 

Among  the  great  number  of  sheep  that  have 
lately  been  imported  into  this  country,  we  find  in- 
dividuals belonging  to  the  same  flock  differing 
greatly  in  the  size  and  symmetry  of  the  carcase, 
as  well  as  in  the  weight  and  fineness  of  the 
fleece  :  w^e  therefore  have  it  now  in  our  power  to 

improve  our  flocks  bv  judicious  selection,  good 

B  2 


18  The  S'hepherch'^  Guide, 

keep,  and  proper  management,  in  any  point  we 
wish.     Where  large  sheep  are  desirable,  we  may 
increase  the  size,  without  any  deterioration  of  the 
wool,  as  has  been  done  at  Rambouillet  in  France ; 
or  where  our  pastures  are  best  adapted  to  small 
sheep,  we  may  confine  our  attention  solely  to  fine- 
ness of  fleece,  to  the  equal  distribution  of  fine 
wool  over  the  carcase,  and  to  the  increase  of  the 
weight  of  the  fleece  in  proportion  to  the  size  of 
the  animal.     Such  is  the  character  of  the  Merino, 
which  he  preserves  in  all  its  excellence,  both  of 
wool  and  carcase,  in  all  the  variety  of  climates  to 
which  he  has   been  introduced^  but  which,  with 
due  attention,  may  be  greatly  improved  in  the 
quantity  of  wool  as  well  as  in  the  fineness  of  pile, 
in  the  size  of  the  animal,  in  the  symmetry  and 
beauty  of  his  form,  and  in  his  disposition  to  fat- 
ten :  qualities  which  must  surely  recommend  this 
race  to    every    prudent  and   intelligent  farmer. 
For  notwithstanding  the  great  number  of  Meri- 
nos which  have  lately  been  introduced  into  this 
country,  the  consequent  fall  in  the  price  of  the 
sheep,  as  well  as  the  present  glut  of  wool,  and  the 
low  state  of  our  manufactures  ;  which,  for  a  short 
time  may  make  it  difficult  to  get  rid  of  either  to 
great  advantage ;  and  which  have  rendered  his 
importation    an  unfortunate  speculation  to    the 
merchant :  still  it  requires  no  great  skill  in  arith- 
metic to  prove  that  rearing  ?*'Ierino  sheep,  is  the 
most  profitable  business  the  farmer  can  engage 


The  Shepherds^  Guide*  19 

in,  especially  for  the  gentleman  farmer,  who  wish- 
es to  confine  his  attention  to  a  single  object,  which 
he  can  manage  with  less  labour,  more  profit,  and 
more  improvement  to  his  soil  than  any  other : 
nor  any  great  foresight  to  predict  that  it  is  a  grow- 
ing business,  which  a  v^ery  few  years  must  ren- 
der much  more  profitable  than  it  is  at  present. 

The  Merino  not  only  preserves  his  unrivalled 
excellence  in  every  country  to  which  he  has  been 
introduced,  but  he  communicates  them  in  a  sur- 
prizing degree  to  his  descendants,  of  all  the  va- 
rious breeds  with  which  he  has  been  crossed.  Of 
the  truth  of  this  most  important  fact  our  own  ex- 
perience has  been  sufficient  to  convince  us  ;  but  it 
has  been  tried  with  so  much  more  precision,  and 
established  by  so  many  and  more  accurate  experi- 
ments of  the  French  and  English  agriculturalists, 
that  the  best  proofs  are  to  be  derived  from  them. 

Mr.  Laysterie  observes,  that  the  first  cross  im- 
proves the  wool  to  one  half  of  that  of  the  ram  ; 
that  the  progeny  gives  more,  as  well  as  finer  wool 
than  the  dam,  and  that  the  skin  already  begins  to 
assume  the  rosy  hue  :  that  the  second  cross  con- 
firms and  improves  all  this,  and  that  the  third 
and  fourth  crosses  leave  little  or  nothing  to  be  de- 
sired in  quantity  and  quality  of  the  wool,  or  in 
similarity  of  form  ;  none  but  a  very  accurate  ob- 
server being  able  to  see  the  difference. 

Dr.  Parry  in  England,  Mr.  Livingston  in  this 
country,  and  every  other  practical  writer  on  the 


20  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

subject  confirm  these  general  observations.  Lord 
Somerville  adds,  that  we  arrive  sooner  or  later  at 
the  fineness  of  the  ram's  fleece^  according  as  that 
of  the  ewe  is  more  or  less  fine  ;  that  when  that  is 
close  in  textm*e,  the  mixed  breed  produces  a  great- 
er quantity  of  wool  than  the  dam ;  and  that  in 
all  cases  the  fourth,  or  at  most  the  fifth  cross,  gives 
wool  of  equal  fineness  to  that  of  the  sire  :  that 
this  great  improvement  will  be  accelerated,  by 
choosing  rams  of  the  finest  and  best  fleeces,  never 
allowing  them  to  propagate  until  they  have  ar- 
rived at  their  full  growth,  or  near  three  years  of 
age,  by  coupling  them  with  ewes  of  qualities  as 
much  as  possible  resembling  their  own,  by  sepa- 
rating the  strong  from  the  weak,  by  giving  good 
food,  and  allowing  plenty  of  air  and  exercise. 

Dr.  Parry,  of  the  Bath  Agricultural  Society, 
has  brought  his  mixed  flock  of  Merino  Ryelands 
to  so  great  a  degree  of  perfection  both  as  to  shape 
and  wool,  that  he  has  declined  any  farther  use  of 
the  Merino  ram ;  which  he  is  persuaded  cannot 
improve  his  wool,  and  may  injure  the  shape  of 
his  sheep.  He  adds,  that  in  his  Merino  Ryelands, 
the  quantity  of  the  wool  as  it  respects  the  dam,  is 
equally  increased  as  the  quality  is  improved  ;  the 
Ryeland  sheep  yielding  about  2  lbs.  the  Merino 
Ryelands  of  the  2d  and  3d  crosses  yielding  from 
4|  lbs.  to  5  lbs.  That  the  proportion  of  fine  wool  is 
more  equally  spread  over  the  animal,  and  bears 
a  much  greater  proportion  to  the  coarse  wool 


The  Shepherds^  Guide,  21 

than  in  any  other  native  sheep,  and  that  he  has 
improved  this  point  so  much  by  judicious  cros- 
sing, that  the  full-blooded  Merino  falls  behind  his 
Merino  Ryela^ds  in  this  respect. 

The  following  statement  by  this  gentleman, 
places  the  advantages  of  crossing  Ryeland  ewes 
with  Merino  rams  in  a  very  clear  point  of  view. 
A  Ryeland  ewe  weighing  sixty  pounds,  yielded 
one  pound  and  three  quarters  of  wool,  worth  two 
shillings  and  four  pence  per  pound,  four  shillings 
and  one  penny  the  fleece :  a  Merino  Ryeland  of  the 
same  weight  yielded  four  pounds,  worth  two  shil- 
lings and  ten  pence  per  pound,  twelve  shillings 
and  nine  pence  the  fleece :  more  than  three  times 
the  value  of  its  Ryeland  ancestor.  The  difl'erence, 
when  compared  w^th  either  of  the  best  breeds  in 
England  was  still  more  considerable  on  the  same 
weight  of  carcase ;  the  Merino  Ryeland  carried 
more  than  five  times  the  value  of  the  South 
Down,  and  five  and  one  half  times  that  of  Bake- 
w^ell's  celebrated  sheep  of  the  New  Leicester. 

Lord  Somerville  makes  the  comparison  on  a 
different  principle ;  stating  the  produce  in  wool 
per  acre,  from  four  different  breeds  of  sheep  : 
South  Downs,  Ryelands,  half-blooded  South 
Dov/n  Merinos,  half-blooded  Merino  Ryelands. 
The  South  Down  and  Ryeland  sheep  carry  the 
finest  wool  of  any  of  the  native  breeds  of  England  ; 
that  of  the  South  Down  sells  at  Is.  lOd.  that  of 
tfie  Ryeland  at  2s.  2d.  sterling  per  pound.     Th.e 


22  The  Shepherds'  Guide, 

sheep  were  store  ewes  of  each  kind ;  and  from  ac- 
curate experiment  he  found  that  one  acre  of  good 
pasture-land,  with  an  allowance  of  turnips  for 
^vinter  food,  at  the  rate  of  about  fifteen  sheep  to 
the  acre,  carried  6|  South  Down,  9  Ryelands,  7\ 
half-blooded  Merino  South  Down^  lOf  half- 
blooded  Merino  Ryelands.  The  produce  was  as 
follows. 

6i  South   Downs,  at  3^ 

pounds  per  fleece,  at  Is.  1  sterling. 

lOd.  per  pound, pay  5s.  ^l/.  15s.  9d.  or  §794 

6d.  each,  or  35s.  9d.  per  I 

acre.  J 

9  Ryeland  store  ewes  at"^ 
2-^  pounds  per  fleece,  at  1 

2s.  2d.  per  pound,  pay  ^2/.  3s.  lOid.  or  !S9  75 
4s,  lO^d.  each,  or  43s.  I 
lOid.  per  acre.  J 

7i  South  Down  Merino^ 

ewes  half-blooded,  at  4  I 

pounds   per  fleece,    3s.  ^4/.  10s.  Od.  or  ^20  0 

per  pound,pay  12s.  each,  | 

or  90s.  per  acre.  J 

10  Ryeland  Merino  ewes,"] 
half-biooded,at  3-Jpounds  | 

per  fleece,  and  3s.  2d.  per  J>5/.  2s.  lld.or  §22  86 
pound,pay  10s.  3id  each,  j 
or  102s.   lid.  per  acre.    J 

And  this  great  difference  of  proceeds,  amount- 
ing in  each  mixed  breed  to  more  than  twice  and  on« 
half  that  of  the  native  sheep,  accrued  between  the 
half-bloods  of  each  race  and  their  natural  ances- 


The  Shepherds*  Guide.  23. 

tor :  what  then  will  be  the  profit  when  we  have 
arrived  at  a  flock  of  the  fourth  or  fifth  cross, 
which  yield  wo.ol  of  equal  value,  and  generally 
more  in  quantity  than  that  of  the  pure  blood. 
Lord  Somerville  answers  the  question  by  stating, 
that  on  the  above  allowance  of  pasture  for  seven 
months,  and  turnips  in  aid  for  winter  food,  the  re- 
turn will  be  ten  guineas  per  acre. 

The  improvement  in  the  carcase,  and  in  the 
disposition  to  fatten,  is  stated  to  be  almost  equal 
to  that  of  the  wool,  even  when  crossed  with  the 
celebrated  Dishlej^  breed.  Wethers  of  this  breed 
are  remarked  to  have  fatted  more  kindly  than  the 
pure  Dishley,  at  the  same  time  that  they  produced 
as  much  wool  of  double  the  value :   and  these  ex- 
periments and  calculations  were  made    in   En- 
gland,   w^here  there   existed   a  great  prejudice 
among  the  manufacturers  against  native  fine  wools 
of  this  description,  which  had  the  effect  of  a  com- 
bination in  the  market,  and  kept  down  their  prices. 
They  surely,  however,  are  sufficient  to  convince 
the  most  prejudiced,  and  to  satisfy  the  cupidity  of 
the  most  craving.     But  let  us  bring  the  matter 
home,  and  examine  from  a  very  simple  statement 
how  the  account  of  profit  stands  with  us.     Hi- 
therto wool  from  our  half-bloods  has  sold  at  one 
dollar  per  pound,  when    that  of  our  common 
sheep  was  3s.  or  Ss.  6d.  but  we  will  take  the  first 
at  only  6s.  and  that  of  common  wool  at  4s.  and 
laying  aside  all  consideration  of  high  prices  for 


24  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

the  breed,  state  the  profits  in  wethers  of  each 
kind.  Suppose  then  a  well-kept  common  wether 
to  yield  5  pounds  of  wool  at  4s.  per  pound,  the 
amount  is  20s.:  and  suppose  the  half-blooded 
wether  to  yield  no  more  (which  is  not  doing  him 
justice)  at  6s.  per  pound,  the  amount  is  30s.  Now 
deduct  from  each  16s.  for  their  maintenance  for 
one  year,  which  is  quite  as  little,  if  not  less  than 
they  will  cost ;  the  profit  on  the  common  sheep  is 
4s. ;  on  the  half-blood  Merino  14s. ;  three  times 
and  the  half  as  much.  Extend  this  to  one  hun- 
dred sheep.  The  100  common  wethers  will  yield 
in  wool  a  profit  of  ^50 ;  that  of  the  100  half- blood- 
ed Merinos  Sl7'5.  Carry  this  on  to  the  4th  or  5th 
cross,  when  the  wool  equals  the  best  Spanish,  and 
suppose  that  to  sell  for  no  more  than  it  did  in 
England  in  the  year  1802,  when  there  was  a  plen- 
tiful market  6s.  6d.  sterling,  or  lis.  6d.  currency 
per  pound  :  then  the  conr  mon  wether  yielding  as 
above  a  profit  of  4s. ;  the  Merino  will  give  41s. 
6d.  Extend  this  to  100  sheep  of  each  kind  :  100 
common  wethers  yield  as  above,  ^50 ;  the  100 
Merinos  g;508  7S, 

But  again,  that  the  field  of  objection  may  be 
exhausted,  it  is  asked,  shall  we  not  overstock  the 
market  with  fine  wool ;  and  when  we  have  con- 
verted all  our  sheep  into  Merinos  (if  that  time 
should  ever  arrive)  how  are  we  to  supply  those 
articles  which  require  coarse  wool  ?  To  the  first 
question  it  may  be  answered,  that  in  the  three 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  2S 

years  ending  in  1804,  Great  Britain  imported 
18,468,713  lbs.  of  Spanish  wool :  more  than  six 
millions  per  annum.  So  that  after  we  have  sup- 
plied our  manufacturers,  we  shall  not  want  a 
market  for  our  surplus  for  many  years  to  come. 
To  the  second  inquiry  we  may  answer  in  the 
words  of  Lord  Somerville,  that  cloths  made  of 
fine  wool  are  more  beautiful,  lighter,  warmer  and 
stronger  than  such  as  are  made  of  coarse  wool ; 
and  that  there  is  not  a  single  article  of  manufac- 
ture (not  excepting  carpets)  in  which  coarse  wool 
is  nov/  used,  which  would  not  be  doubly  valuable 
if  made  of  that  which  is  fine.  With  any  unpre- 
judiced man,  these  statements  must  put  the  ques- 
tion of  profit,  as  it  respects  both  the  present  time 
and  the  future,  at  rest.  For  although  the  present 
glut  of  Spanish  wool  in  this  country  and  in 
Great  Britain,  as  well  as  the  dispersion  of  the 
Spanish  flocks  over  all  the  world  may  seem  to 
contradict  these  statements ;  still  that  very  dis- 
persion, as  well  as  the  ruinous  devastations  of  the 
war,  have  so  greatly  diminished  the  numbers  of 
Spanish  sheep,  on  the  whole,  that  as  soon  as  the 
present  supply  of  fine  wool  is  expended,  the  arti- 
cle must  again  rise  in  its  price  :  and  Great  Britain 
will  probably  look  for  a  great  length  of  time  to 
this  country  for  a  supply  of  fine  wool.  For  food, 
not  articles  of  manufacture,  is  the  great  object  of 
her  agriculturalists  j  and  the  taste  of  the  whole  na- 

C 


26  The  Shepherds*  Guide. 

tion  will  not  soon  be  so  changed,  nor  the  prejudice 
of  her  farmers  so  far  overcome,  as  to  prefer  Spa- 
nish to  English  mutton. 


CHAPTER  IL 

High  and  low  keep — Summer  pasture — Stock- 
ing land — Weeds-— Small  fields — Fences — 
Sheds — Water— -Winter  management — Fold 
and  accommodations — Rye — Rowen — Hay — 
Corn — Roots,  &c. — Quantity  of  food — Water 
—Salt. 

On  the  Maintenance  and  Support  of  Sheep*, 

IT  having  been  observed  that  the  Merino  flocks 
in  Spain  are  generally  kept  low,  and  seldom,  or 
never  appear  in  high  order  ;  it  has  thence  been 
falsely  concluded  that  low  keep  is  essential  to 
fine  wool :  but  the  low  state  of  the  Spanish  flocks, 
so  far  as  that  is  the  case,  is  rather  the  effect  of 
necessity  than  choice.  The  great  numbers  of 
which  their  flocks  consist,  and  the  long  and  fa- 
tiguing journeys  they  are  compelled  to  take,  in 
which  the  old  and  the  young,  the  strong  and  the 
weak  are  driven  together,  cannot  but  prevent  these 
sheep  acquiring,  or  at  least  retaining  that  state 
of  vigour  and  high  health,  to  which  they  are  natu- 
rally disposed  :  and  we  have  the  testimony  of  Mr. 
Laysterie  in  France,  of  Mr.  Pictet  in  Switzerland, 
and  of  almost  every  enlightened  agriculturalist  on 
the  continent  of  Europe,  as  well  as  of  Lord  Somer- 
ville,  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  and  Dr.  Parry  in  Eng- 


28  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

land,  that  whilst  the  Merino,  from  better  food  and 
more  skilful  management  under  their  care,  has 
improved  in  shape,  increased  in  size^  and  obtain- 
ed a  heavier  fleece  ;  he  has  uniformly  preserved, 
and  in  many  instances  improved  the  fineness  and 
every  other  excellence  of  his  wool.  In  proof  of 
this  fact,  Dr.  Parry  produced  a  piece  of  cloth  to 
the  Bath  Society  in  the  year  1 806,  made  from 
wool  of  his  Merino  Ryeland  sheep  of  the  4th 
cross,  which  exceeded  that  made  from  the  best 
Spanish  piles  ;  and  this  from  sheep  which  had 
been  kept  in  high  order  for  more  than  12  months 
preceding :  nor  are  we  without  sufficient  testimony 
as  to  this  point  from  our  own  experience.  No 
sheep  can  be  kept  in  higher  order  than  those  of 
Chancellor  Livingston  ;  yet  now  after  seven  years 
their  fleece  will  bear  a  comparison  with  the  finest 
from  Spain  or  any  other  country.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  must  be  confessed  that  Mr.  Shepherd,  a 
very  respectable  English  manufacturer  of  super- 
fine cloths,  and  at  the  same  time  a  skilful  farmer, 
contends  that  high  keep  will  depreciate  the  quali- 
ty of  wool ;  that  from  this  cause  his  own  half- 
blooded  Merinos  had  fallen  off  so  much  in  four 
)  ears,  that  at  the  same  rate,  in  four  more,  it  would 
return  to  the  quality  of  the  maternal  fleece  :  and 
that  after  three  years  hard  work,  and  high  keep, 
he  saw  a  manifest  depreciation  in  the  quality  of 
the  wool  of  a  full-blooded  ram  he  had  purchased 
from  the  King's  flock.  He  corroborates  his  opin- 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  39 

ion  by  an  acknowledged  fact ;  that  after  an  open 
winter,  whtn  the  large  flocks  of  sheep  that  are  fed 
on  the  downs  and  open  pastures  of  England  can 
get  plenty  of  food,  they  are  always  found  to  yield 
a  larger  quantity  of  wool,  and  at  the  same  time 
universally,  of  a  coarser  quality. 

But  as  Mr.  Shepherd  stands  alone  in  this  opin- 
ion,^ in   opposition  to  the  experience   of  almost 
every  other  breeder  ;  allow^ing  the  fact  to  be  true, 
we  must  suppose  some  deception  has  misled  his 
judgment  in  his  conclusion :  and  Dr.  Parry  has 
clearly  pointed  out  whkt  that  is.     The  Doctor  al- 
lows that  the  wool  of  the  same  individual  sheep 
will  be  always  comparatively  fine  or  coarse,  as  he  is 
at  one  time  poor  and  lean  from  want  of  food,  or 
disease  ;  and  at  another  in  high  order  and  fat,  from 
good  health  and  high  feeding  :  so  that  the  fineness 
of  a  sheep's  fleece  of  any  given  breed,  will  within 
certain  limits  be  found  to  be  inversely  as  its  fat- 
ness.   But  this  is  always  a  matter  of  comparison 
between  the  fleece  of  the  same  sheep  at  one  time 
and  another  ;  according  to  his  state  of  health  and 
degree  of  fatness  :  and  a  very  different  circum- 
stance from  a  change  in  the  natural  constitution 
oftheanimal  producing  a  permanent  depreciation 
of  his  own  wool,  and  in  that  of  his  race.     It  is 
likewise  acknowledged  on  all  sides,  that  wool 
which  is  fine,  in  consequence  of  low  keep,  or  ill 
health,  is  always  unequal  in  the  pile,  and  deficient 
in  proof  or  strength.  Good  thriving  store  order, 

C2 


30  The  Shepherds^  Guide* 

which  is  manifested  by  a  whole  fleece,  a  lively  eye, 
and  nimble  motions,  is  therefore  allowed  on  the 
score  of  health  to  the  sheep,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
value  of  his  fleece  to  be  the  best  condition  in  which 
Merinos  or  any  other  sheep  can  be  kept. 

But  although  good  keep  and  judicious  manage- 
ment unquestionably  improve  this  animal  in  all 
respects,  yet  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  he  is  proof 
against  improper  and  scanty  food,  or  neglect  and 
mismanagement.    Mr.  Laysterie  informs  us,  that 
he  had  found  Spanish  sheep  in  Sweden,  Saxony, 
and  France,  which  had  manifestly  depreciated  ; 
and  that  of  two  hundred  Spanish  sheep  imported 
into  France  so  early  as  the  year  1776,  and  which 
were  divided  among  the  farmers  of  diff"erent  dis- 
tricts, all  except  those  committed  to  the  care  of 
Mr.  Daubenton  had  degenerated  ;  whilst  his  had 
succeeded    to    his    most  sanguine   expectation. 
That  this  degeneracy  in  France,  as  well  as  else- 
where, could  manifestly  be  traced  to  insufficient 
and  bad  food  ;  to  w^ant  of  care  and  attention  ;  to 
unwholesome  and  confined  sheep-houses,  in  which 
the  sheep  were  suff'ered  to  lie  in  their  dung  ;  or  to 
exposure  to  the  inclemencies  of  the  season  with- 
out any  shelter  at  all ;  whence  the  sheep  had  de- 
generated in  size  and  shape,  and  their  wool  be- 
come less  fine,  less  soft  to  the  touch,  and  deficient 
in  strength.    That  he  had  seen  many  flocks  in 
Sweden,  and  had  constantly  observed  that  those 
i^nimals  which  were  under  the  care  of  inattentive 


The  Shepherds''  Guide,  3 1 

persons  had  degenerated  j  whilst  those  flocks 
>vhich  were  kept  by  careful  breeders  had  preserv- 
ed all  their  primitive  excellence  :  that  he  had  made 
the  same  observation  in  Germany  and  in  Hol- 
land ;  and  that  his  opinion  had  been  confirmedby 
the  best  agriculturalists  in  those  countries.  That 
even  in  Spain,  the  Merino  had  been  known  to  de- 
generate from  similar  causes,  and  that  he  had 
seen  flocks  in  that  country,  as  well  as  in  Sweden, 
producing  wool  of  a  very  inferior  quality.  He 
therefore  thus  concludes  :  "  Let  me  advise  those 
who  adopt  the  Merino  race,  to  guard  themselves 
against  an  opinion  that  it  will  preserve  the  excel- 
lence of  its  fleece,  if  it  is  subjected  to  wrong  treat- 
ment, or  abandoned  to  negligence  and  ignorance," 
In  stocking  lands  with  sheep,  as  well  as  with 
any  other  kind  of  animal,  the  variety  of  the  crea- 
ture must  be  adapted  to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  or 
v/e  shall  not  get  so  great  a  return  as  the  land  is 
capable  of  making.  Deep  and  strong  land  is  re- 
quired for  large  long-wooUed  sheep  :  on  light  land 
they  will  constantly  depreciate  ;  and  all  attempts 
to  raise  them  to  profit,  and  in  perfection  on  such 
pastures  will  fail.  On  the  other  hand,  light  loamy 
soils,  hilly  and  mountainous  districts,  are  fittest 
for  small  close-woolled  sheep  ;  and  the  quantities  of 
wool  and  mutton  raised  on  such  pastures,  from 
small  sheep,  will  be  made  up  in  the  greater  num- 
ber they  will  support.  There  can  be  no  question 
ihcrefore,  on  such  soils,  with  regard  to  the  profit  of 


32  The  Shepherds'  Guide, 

raising  Merinos,  which  on  the   most  moderate 
computation,  calculated  on  the  returns  of  wool 
and  mutton  only,  will  yield  five  or  six  times  the 
profit  of  common  sheep.     Cold  soils,  especially 
those  that  lie  on  a  wet  bottom,  or  which  are  cover- 
ed with  water  during  the  winter,  are  unfit  for 
she  cp  of  any  kind :  on  such  they  are  liable  to  that 
terrible  disease  the  rot,  of  which  happily  we  know 
but  little  as  yet  in  this  country.     Instances  arc 
recorded  of  v/hole  flocks  perishing  with  the  rot, 
from  feeding  but  a  short  time  on  cold  wet  lands  : 
and  Lord  Somerville  mentions  one  instance  of  a 
farmer  who  losthis  whole  flock,  merely  by  feeding 
one  night  on  a  wet  common  adjoining  his  lands  ; 
all  the  ev/es  dying  as  they  dropped  their  lambs. 
Fattening  sheep  may  be  fed  on  such  soils,  because 
the  rot  is  a  disease  no  way  infectious,  and  which 
does  not  interfere  with  their  becoming  fat.    But 
when  from  necessity  we  are  compelled  to  let  store 
sheep  run  on  such  pastures,  we  must  be  careful 
not  to  put  them  on  until  the  middle  of  the  day, 
nor  should  they  be  sufl"ered  to  remain  on  them 
long,  at  any  one  time.     Of  the  natural  grasses  of 
this  country,  the  spear  grass,  the  blue  grass,  and 
the  white  clover  are   among   the  very  best  for 
sheep.    They  seldom  gr(>w  tali  or  rank,  aflbrd  a 
sweet  bite,  of  which  the  sheep  are  very    fond, 
and    are    very    nutritious ;    and    where  good, 
will  carry  more  sheep  per  acre,  and  fatten  them 
faster  than  any  other  of  oui'  pastures.  Persons^ 


The  Shepherds^  Guide*  '^'6 

therefore,  possessed  of  such  lays  should  hesitate 
long  before  they  turn  them  up,  because  such  pas- 
tures will  grow  thicker  and  thicker,  and  will  sup- 
port more  and  more  sheep,  to  an  increase  not  easi- 
ly credited  ;  whilst  they  are  well  managed  under 
sheep  husbandry  :  and  as  we  are  not  in  the  habit 
of  sowing  the  seeds  of  these  grasses,  we  must 
leave  our  pasture  lands  for  several  years  before 
they  will  regain  a  sward  of  this  kind.  I  see  a 
yearly  improvement  of  such  pastures  as  I  possess 
of  this  kind,  and  I  know  one  field  which  carries 
easily,  six  sheep  of  the  mixed  Spanish  breed  per 
acre,  through  the  summer  ;  although  from  being 
near  the  winter-  fold,  the  sheep  run  on  it  when- 
ever the  ground  is  bare ,  through  the  winter  and 
spring. 

The  next  rule  with  every  good  grazier,  after 
adapting  his  stock  to  the  nature  of  his  soil  is,  to 
put  on  as  many  creatures  as  his  pastures  will 
carry ;  without  on  the  one  hand  suffering  the  grass 
to  grow  up  in  tufts,  or  on  the  other  to  have  them 
eaten  so  bare  as  to  expose  the  roots  to  be  burnt  by 
the  sun.  I  suspect  this  to  be  a  nicer  and  more 
difficult  matter  to  accomplish  in  this  country  than 
in  the  moist  climate  of  Great  Britain.  I  have  not 
been  able  to  satisfy  myself  on  this  point,  and  have 
heard  better  farmers  make  the  same  confession. 
Still  it  deserves  all  our  attention,  or  our  profits 
will  be  greatly  lessened.  No  creature  w^ill  eat 
grass  which  is  running  to  seed  j  and  sheep  are  so 


34f  The  Shepherds^  Guide* 

nice  in  this  particular,  that  in  fields  not  sufficient- 
ly stocked,  they  will  be  found  constantly  to  dwell 
on  those  bare  parts,  which  were  first  eaten  ;  whilst 
the  grass  is  running  to  seed  all  around  them.  All 
plants  exhaust  land  much  more  whilst  they  are 
ripening  their  seeds,  than  during  all  the  other  pe- 
riods of  their  growth.  Another  evil  of  still 
greater  consequence,  arising  from  this  circum- 
stance is,  that  weeds  are  thereby  suifered  to  run 
to  seed  and  increase.  There  are  many  plants  of 
this  description  :  even  our  greatest  pest,  St.  John's 
wort,  which  sheep  will  eat  when  very  young,  but 
will  not  touch  from  the  moment  they  begin  to 
form  a  stem.  As  soon ,  therefore,  as  it  is  discovered 
by  the  grass  and  the  weeds  running  up,  and  form- 
ing stems  lor  seeds,  that  we  have  understocked 
our  fields,  it  will  amply  repay  the  expense  to  run 
over  them  with  a  sithe,  by  which  the  present 
feed  will  be  increased,  at  the  same  time  that  the 
St.  John's  wort,  and  other  small  weeds  are  de- 
stroyed. At  the  same  time  that  this  is  done,  bur- 
dock, sharp-pointed  dock,  bur  marygold,  poke 
and  sheep's  laurel,  should  be  destroyed.  This 
useful  work  will  be  attended  with  but  little  ex- 
pense, and  where  fields  are  to  be  kept  long  in  pas- 
ture, will  be  amply  repaid  in  the  greater  number 
of  sheep  they  will  support,  in  the  cleanness  of 
their  wool,  and  the  preservation  of  their  health. 
Another  maxim  in  grazing  with  sheep  is,  that 
the  young  should  be  separated  from  the  old,  the 


"The  Shepherds*  Guide*  '35 

weak  from  the  strong,  wethers  and  rams  from 
the  ewes  and  lambs  ;  and  particularly  that  lambs 
should  be  separated,  to  a  considerable  distance 
from  their  dams,   immediately   after    weanmg: 
bui  this  division  cannot  be  made,  unless  we  have 
a  considerable  numbtr  of  fields.  Small  inclosvires, 
therefore,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  dock, 
(for  the  fields  should  be  large  enough  to  atlord 
the  sheep  necessary  exercise)   will  be.  found  not 
only  convenient,  but  profitable.    Sheep   love  to 
range,  and  let  the  field  they  are  in  be  ever  so 
large,  they  will  be  continually  passing  over  the 
whole  in  search  of  the  sweetest  bite,  by  which 
they  soil  and  waste  a  great  deal  of  feed.  By  small 
enclosures,  we  can  at  all  times  command  clean 
grass,    and  the    regular,  and    even    feeding  of 
the  whole  will  be  facilitated  :  by  which  more  ani- 
mals will  be  fed  on  the  same  quantity  of  land,  and 
thrive  better.    But  to  accomplish  this,  the  flock 
should  be  frequently  changed  from  one  field  to 
another ;  otherwise,  whilst  they  are  consuming  the 
pasture  in  one,  another  will  be  shooting  up  its 
stems  for  seed,  and  the  pasture  will  be  lost.   It  is 
likewise  advantageous  to  enter  upon  the  pasture 
fields  early,  while  the  grass  is  young  and  sweet, 
and  the  weeds  tender  ;  many  plants  at  this  time 
will  be  eaten  by  sheep  which  a  very  little  later 
will  be  rejected  ;  and  this  is  another  reason   for 
small  enclosures,  and  a  quick  succession  from  one 
to  another.    Any  slight  fence,  provided  it  is  close, 


36  The  Shepherds''  Guide. 

will  confine  sheep,  but  over  a  stone-wall  they  w'lU 
find  a  way  to  get,  even  when  staked  and  ridered. 
I  have  thought  of  laying  across  the  wall,  and 
within  a  foot  of  the  tpp,  pieces  of  small  timber, 
the  ends  of  which  having  been  sawed  off  square, 
should  project  about  a  foot  on  each  side  of  the 
wall ;  upon  these  to  fix  small  poles,  or  to  nail  to 
the  ends  split  hoops.  This  would  be  easily  made, 
would  consume  but  little  timber,  and  would  effec- 
tually prevent  sheep  getting  over  the  wall. 

All  pastures  should  be  furnished  with  shade 
and  water,  and  for  sheep,  perhaps  shade  is  tnore 
necessary  than  water.  Great  heat  is  found  more 
prejudicial  to  sheep  than  the  severest  cold ;  and 
soon  after  shearing  is  particularly  injurious. 
Sheep  are  always  found  lying  in  the  shade  in  the 
middle  of  a  summer's  day  ;  and  so  necessary  is 
shade  thought  for  sheep  in  the  middle  of  the  day 
in  summer,  by  the  best  agriculturalists  on  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe,  that  when  the  pastures  do  not 
afford  sufficient  shade,  the  shepherds  are  directed 
to  take  the  sheep  into  the  sheep-houses  for  some 
hours  at  noon,  during  the  continuance  of  hot  and 
sultry  weather.  It  is  too  common  an  opinion  that 
sheep  do  not  require  water  ;  but  although  it  is  true 
that  when  on  good  succulent  food,  and  when  they 
are  kept  night  and  day  in  the  fields,  they  can  do 
without  water  better  than  any  other  kind  of  stock, 
yet  when  they  can  get  at  it,  they  always  go  regu- 
larly to  it  once  or  twice  a-day,  and  when  debar- 


Th e  Sh eph erds*  Guide »  % 7 

red  from  it,  for  several  days  together,  they  run 
greedily  to  it,  and  drink  more  than  is  beneficial. 
When,  therefore,  their  fields  do  not  afford  what  is 
good  and  sweet,  they  should  be  driven  to  it  once 
every  day,  or  at  farthest  once  every  other  day. 
Putrid  stagnant  water  is  worse  than  none.  It  is 
truly  poisonous  to  sheep,  and  no  pains  should  be 
spared  to  free  their  pastures  of  it. 

Winter  Management. 

The  length  and  severity  of  our  winters  cause 
the  great  and  principal  expense,  as  it  respects  la- 
bour, food  and  shelter,  which  attend  keeping  a 
flock  of  sheep.  During  five  months,  they  require 
constant  care  in  foddering  and  protecting  them 
from  the  severity  of  the  season ;  in  attention  to 
their  occasional  complaints,  and  particularly  in 
watching  and  attending  the  ewes  and  their  lamias 
during  the  lambing  season.  In  Great  Britain,  it 
is  not  uncommon  to  leave  large  flocks  of  sheep  to 
shift  for  themselv^'s,  in  bleak  exposed  situations  ; 
or  at  least  to  aflbrd  them  no  other  shelter  than  a 
hedge,  or  the  southern  side  of  a  hill.  But  such 
practice  is  condemned  by  their  best  agricuku- 
ralists,  who  assure  us  that  sheep  will  abundantly 
pay  for  moderate  shelter  in  the  increased  quantity 
and  improved  quality  of  their  wool ;  as  well  as  In 
the    preservation  of  their  health    and  strength. 

Lord  Som.erville  gives  it  as  his  opinion,  that  a 

D 


o8  The  Shepherds^  Guide, 

slight  shelter  against  severe  cold,  and  particularly 
wet,  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  carcase,  as  well 
as  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  wool :  and  that 
want  of  necessary  attention  in  this  particular,  ex- 
poses them  to  many  diseases.  In  very  severe  cli- 
mates, such  as  Denmark  and  Sweden,  they 
find  it  absolutely  necessary  to  house  their  fine- 
woolled  sheep,  during  winter.  With  us,  this  may 
not  be  so  necessary  ;  unless  to  those  that  wish  to 
have  early  lambs,  many  of  which  will  be  lost,  if 
suffered  to  drop  in  severe  nights,  even  under  an 
open  shelter.  Indeed,  in  all  countries  in  which 
the  snow  lies  for  any  length  of  time,  so  that  it  be- 
comes necessary  for  two  or  three  months  to  fod- 
der the  sheep,  a  fold-yard,  round  a  bam,  with 
common  sheds,  open  to  the  south,  divided  by  hur- 
dles, or  any  moveable  fences,  into  different  yards, 
for  strong  or  weak  sheep  ;  for  the  old  and  infirm, 
and  for  ewes  in  different  states  ;  as  well  as  close 
apartments  for  sick  sheep  ;  for  yeaning  ewes 
and  very  young  lambs,  will  be  found  the  most 
convenient  and  best  economy.  My  winter-fold 
is  of  this  description  ;  of  which,  as  I  have  found  it 
very  convenient,  I  have  added  a  plan  and  de- 
scription. 


L 


G- 


r 


i> 


B 


G 


A 


1 


M 


D 


C 


The  Shepherds^  Guide*  4^ 

A.  Barn,  with  cellar  under  it  for  roots. 

B.  Carriage-house, 

C.  Cider-house. 

D.  Buildings  of  which  the  upper  story  serves 

for  hay ;  the  lower  story  stables  :  sheep 
houses  and  sheds  open  in  front. 

E.  Winter  folds,  about  50  feet  wide  and  150 

feet  long ;  with 

F.  Sheds  to  the  north  of  the  folds, open  in  front, 

made  with  posts  put  in  the  ground,  and 
covered  with  straw.  Each  of  these  sheds 
and  folds  will  accommodate  from  50  to  70 
sheep. 
H.  These  double  lines  represent  small  troughs 
fixed  to  the  fence,  which  separates  the 
folds  from  the  road,  for  feeding  the 
sheep  with  grain,  slop,  roots,  salt,  &c. 

G.  A  road,  12  feet  wide,  so  that  a  loaded  cart 

can  pass  through  it  to  charge  the  build- 
ings marked  D. 

I.  Openings,  with  small  gates  from  the  folds, 
through  which  the  ilock  confined  in  either 
fold  may  be  let  out  and  fed  with  grain,.  &c. 
^vithout  being  incommoded  by  too  great  a 
number  at  one  time,  or  mixing  the  flocks. 

K.  Openings,  with  smuli  gates  into  fields  adja- 
cent, to  let  the  sheep  out  lor  exercise 
when  the  weather  ptrmits. 

L.     Openings  from  the  sheep-houses. 

M.     Barn-yard. 

*  D  2 


42  The  Shepherdii*  Guide, 

Where  care  is  taken,  and  lambs  do  not  fall  be- 
fore April,  nothing  more  is  really  necessary  than 
a  common  hovel,  made  by  crotches  set  in  the 
gi-ound,  covered  with  poles  thatched,  or  buck- 
wheat straw,  or  any  other  litter  that  will  keep  out 
the  wet.    Even  this,  however,  should  be  placed 
within,   or  rather  on  the  north  side  of  the  fold- 
yard,  in  which  the  sheep  are  foddered  ;  and  if  this 
be    kept   littered  with  straw,  bottoms   of  corn- 
stalks, or  any  other  trash,  it  will  not  only  keep  the 
sheep  dry  and  comfortable  when  the  thaws  come 
on  in  the  spring,  but  will  afford  a  supply  of  the 
best  manure,  which   will  most  amply  repay  any 
trouble  and  expense  attending  it.    And  another 
great  advantage  to   be  drawn   from  such  fold- 
vards  i?,  that  after  all  the  loose  manure  which  can 
be  scraped  from  their  surface  is  carried  off,  they 
will  afford  one  of  the  best  and  richest  kitchen  gar- 
dens for  roots  of  all  kinds,  cabbages,  &c.  that  caii 
possibly  be  made.   ,  When  it  is  necessary  that  any 
sheep,  such   as   invalids,    or  ewes   with  lambs, 
should  be  housed   during  severe  weather,  care 
should  be  taken  that  the  apartments  should  be 
airy,  large  in  proportion  to  the   number  confined 
in  them,  with  large  windows  in  every  direction, 
which  should  be  kept  open,  except  during  stormy 
days,  or  very  severe  nights  ;  that  they   are  fre- 
«|uently  littered  with   fresh  straw,  and  that  they 
are  cleaned  out  whenever  they  become   in  the 
least  offensive.     A  squ'ire  yard  should  at  least  be 


The  Shepherds'*  Guide.  43 

allowed  for  every  sheep :  and  even  where  the 
buildings  are  constructed  in  an  unexceptionable 
manner,  the  sheep  should  be  driven  out  in  clear 
weather  into  a  yard  before  them,  and  frequently 
into  the  open  fields,  for  the  sake  of  air  and  exer- 
cise. Mr.  Laysterie  informs  us,  that  under  such 
care  and  attention,  there  are  owners  of  flocks  of 
fine-woolled  sheep  in  Saxony,  who  have  no  pas- 
tures at  all,  but  keep  their  sheep  in  houses  and 
yards  throughout  the  year.  Nor  is  this  treatment 
found  injurious  either  to  their  health,  or  the  fine- 
ness of  their  wool,  as  long  as  care  is  taken  lo  sup- 
ply them  with  proper  food  and  water,  and  to  keep 
their  houses  clean  and  airy. 

Fold-yards,  as  well  as  houses,  should  be  fur- 
nished with  racks  for  hay,  which  are  best  made 
like  ladders  of  long  chesnut  or  oak  poles,  first 
bored  with  inch  holes,  at  the  distance  of  four  inch- 
es, and  then  split,  so  that  one  pole  makes  the  top 
•  and  bottom  of  the  rack.  The  rounds  are  best 
when  made  of  split  stuff,  but  may  be  made  of  com- 
mon round  stuff,  of  the  size  of  hoop  poles,  and 
should  be  about  three  feet,  or  three  and  a  half 
long.  These  should  be  placed  vertically  on  the 
ground,  at  the  distance  of  about  18  inches,  and 
secured  to  stakes  driven  into  the  ground,  above 
and  below.  If  placed  between  two  folds,  they 
may  form  the  division  ;  the  sheep  eating  on  each 
side.  These  ladders  being  removed  in  the  sum- 
mer, and  placed  under  the  hovels,  will  be  longer 


44  The  Shepherds'  Guide, 

preserved,  and  leave  the  fold  more  free  for  cultiva- 
tion. The  bars  should  be  so  near  each  other  as  to 
prevent  the  sheep  putting  their  heads  into  the  racks 
and  stirring  the  fodder  about  with  iheir  noses,  to 
seek  for  the  sweetest  and  most  succulent  food,  to 
the  injury  and  loss  of  what  remains  :  and  being  per- 
pendicular, the  seeds,  leaves  and  dust  of  the  hay, 
will  not  fall  on  their  necks  and  shoulders,  which 
greatly  injures  the  wool. 

Besides,  the  racks,  troughs  for  meal,  grain,  &c. 
should  either  be  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  racks, 
or  as  I  have  placed  mine,  on  the  outside  of  my 
winter- fold  ;  which  being  raised  12  or  14  inches 
from  the  ground,  prevents  much  waste,  by  the 
sheep  running  into  them,  in  their  hurry  to  get  at 
their  contents.  (See  plan  H.)  These  troughs  may 
be  made  of  two  boards,  of  about  8  inches  wide, 
nailedtogether  at  an  angle  thus\/svhich,  standing 
on  the  ground  may  be  supported  by  pieces  of 
board,  about  14  or  16  inches  long,  cut  so  as  to 

receive  them  thus.     [>/]       Mr.     Livingston 

has  furnished  his  folds  with  boxes,  latticed  in  front 
like  a  common  coop  for  fowls,  and  furnished 
within  with  a  rack  and  small  trough,  to\yards  the 
back  part,  for  his  lambs.  The  boxes  may  be  made 
about  the  length  of  v.  common  board,  about  three 
feet  high  and  three  ieet  broad  ;  and  the  lattices  at 
such  a  disnmcf  as  to  let  in  ih--  lambs,  bat  exclude 
the  ewes.  These  being  always  supplied  with  ten- 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  45 

der  hay,  and  the  troughs  occasionally  with  bran, 
or  Indian  meal,  the  lambs  within,  undisturbed  by 
the  ewes,  soon  learn  to  eat,  both,  by  which  their 
growth  and  strength  are  greatly  promoted. 

The  sheep  racksshould  be  sufficiently  long  to  al- 
low the  whole  of  the  flock,  or  at  least  as  many  as 
must  feed  at  one  time,  sufficient  room,  without 
crowding  each  other  ;  or  at  least  should  be  so  pla- 
ced that  one  portion  of  the  flock  may  be  feeding  at 
the  rack,  whilst  the  other  portion  is  at  the  troughs- 

Around,  or  near  the  fold,  should  always  be  one 
or  two  pasture  fields,  into  which  the  sheep  may 
be  permitted  to  go  during  the  middle  of  the  day 
for  exercise,  whenever  the  ground  is  bare,  or  near- 
ly so  :  and  if  one  of  these  had  been  shut  up  from 
the  end  of  the  summer,  or  had  been  sown  early 
with  rye,  it  will  be  found  very  beneficial,  especi- 
ally for  ewes  and  lambs,  early  in  the  spring  ;  and 
,the  rye  will  not  only  be  very  little  injured  by  be- 
ing thus  pastured  with  sheep,  but  if  the  same 
field  be  kept  for  the  same  purpose,  and  repeated- 
ly sown  for  a  succession  of  years  with  rye,  and 
pastured  every  spring,  the  crop  of  rye  will  be  bet- 
ter and  better  ;  and  the  field  so  far  enriched,  that 
although  at  first  it  would  only  produce  rye,  after 
four  or  five  years  it  will  yield  an  excellent  crop  of 
wheat.  The  only  precaution  necessary  in  thus 
feeding  rye,  is  not  to  let  the  sheep  run  on  it  du- 
ring the  late  fall,  and  the  early  winter  and  spring 
months  j  unless  the  ground  be  frozen :  otherwise, 


46  The  Shepherds^  Guide, 

Instead  of  biting  off  the  leaves,  they  will  tear  up 
the  plants.  After  the  ground  is  well  settled  in  the 
springs  the  sheep  may  again  be  permitted  to  run 
on  it,  until  the  lye  begins  to  rise  for  seed :  under  this 
management,  the  feet  and  tails  of  the  sheep  do 
ir  ore  good,  than  their  teeth  do  injury.  A  field  of 
good  rowen  which  has  been  shut  up,  and  preserv- 
ed trom  the  latter  end  of  the  preceding  summer, 
is  more  than  a  good  substitute  ;  it  is  perhaps  bet- 
ter than  rye  for  early  spring  feed.  At  the  first  view, 
rowen  has  an  unfavourable  ?.]>pearance  from  the 
covering  of  decayed  autumnal  grass,  but  when 
this  is  removed,  it  presents  a  growth  of  fresh  green 
grass,  brought  up  under  the  shelter  and  warmth 
of  the  covering  of  old  grass.  The  sheep  eat  both 
togcrhtr,  having  as  it  were  hay  and  grass  in  the 
same  bite  :  it  agrees  remarkably  well  with  them, 
and  is  less  apt  to  scour  them  than  rye. 

Good  hay,  with  a  very  little  corn,  is  quite  suffi- 
cient for  the  flock  in  the  beginning  of  winter  ;  but 
it  is  certainly  very  expensive  ;  so  much  so,  that 
the  English  give  very  little  of  either  to  their 
sheep,  hut  keep  them  all  summer  on  grass,  and 
all  wmcer  on  green  food  i  such  as  turnips,  cabba- 
ges, carrots  or  potatoes ;  particularly  turnips. 
There  is  no  branch  of  agriculture  in  which  we 
are  more  deficient  than  this,  of  raising  green  food 
for  our  stock  during  winter  ;  which,  unquestiona- 
bly is  much  cheaper  than  hay  and  grain  ;  but  it 
must  be  confessed  our  climate,  and  the  price  of 


The  Shepherds'  Guule.  4,7 

labour,  present  great  difficulties  to  this  excellent 
system.  As  far  north  as  the  state  of  New- York, 
we  cannot  have  fields  of  turnips  to  be  fed  off  du- 
ring winter  by  sheep,  as  is  the  case  in  England. 
Whatever  roots  we  raise,  except  parsnips,  must 
be  taken  up,  and  housed  or  buried,  to  preserve 
them  from  severe  frost :  and  this  is  with  us  so  ex- 
pensive an  operation  as  greatly  to  lessen  the  pro- 
fit of  the  system.  Siiil,  however,  besides  that 
such  food  is  actually  better  for  sheep,  especially 
for  breeding  ewes ;  on  the  score  of  profit  it  is 
well  worth  the  experiment ;  and  if  proper  care  is 
taken  by  manure  and  good  tillage  to  raise  the 
roots  of  a  large  size,  the  labour  of  taking  up  and 
preserving  them  will  be  so  much  lessened,  as  to 
render  them  a  much  cheaper  food  than  only  hay 
and  grain.  Carrots  and  potatoes  are  so  much 
more  nutritious  than  turnips,  that  they  pay  better 
for  the  labour  of  raising  them.  The  large  white 
beet  called  mangle  Wertsel,  root  of  scarcity,  is 
likewise  very  nutritious  ;  and  as  well  as  carrots, 
afford  an  abundant  crop  on  deep  and  light  loamy, 
or  sandy  soils,  which  only  are  fit  for  them.  As  far 
as  my  experience  goes,  the  carrot  is  to  be  prefer- 
red. They  answer  all  the  purposes  of  corn  at  a 
much  less  expense  :  and  by  giving  a  small  quanti- 
ty daily  to  the  sheep,  at  the  commencement  of 
winter,  they  render  the  change  from  green  to  dry 
food  less  sudden  and  less  injurious  ;  particularly 
to  old  and  infirm  sheep. 


43  The  Shepherds'  Gizide. 

When  roots  or  cabbages  are  not  provided  for 
the  purpose,  ewes  near  lambing,  and  such  as  have 
early  lambs,  must  have  some  moist  food,  or  they 
will  probably  fail  as  nurses  ;  and  many  lambs  will 
be  lost.  For  this  purpose,  I  have  found  a  pint  of 
that  better  kind  of  bran  called  shorts,  twice  a 
day  to  each  ewe  answ^er  perfectly  well,  and  occa- 
sion such  a  jRush  of  milk,  that  whilst  the  lambs 
were  young,  it  became  necessary  to  milk  the  ewes 
occasioK^ilh ,  to  prevent  injury  to  the  udder.  Oil 
cake,  ground  or  soaked,  and  crushed  beans,  peas, 
or  oats,  are  all  more  nutritious  than  bran,  and 
when  mixed  with  water,  are  excellent  substitutes 
for  green  fodder.  In  Denmark,  Sweden,  and 
Saxony,  they  eke  out  their  hay,  with  chopped  rye, 
barlev.  and  oat  straw.  These,  mixed  in  about 
the  proportion  of  seven  pounds  of  meal  to  300 
wt.  of  straw,  is  allowed  to  every  hundred  sheep 
per  day,  and  fed  at  three  several  periods.  This,  in 
the  commencement  of  winter,  makes  for  store 
sheep  a  very  good  substitute  for  hay  ;  as  the 
winter  advances,  more  and  more  hay  should  be 
allowed,  giving  at  one  period  chopped  straw 
twice,  and  hay  once  a  day  ;  at  another,  hay  twice, 
and  chopped  straw  once  a  day  ;  which  has  the 
farther  advantage  of  compelling  the  shepherds  or 
servants  to  fodder  the  flock  three  or  four  times  a 
day,  which  is  not  only  saving  of  fodder,  but  bene- 
ficial lO  the  sheep.  Of  peas,  beans  and  corn  tops, 
the  sheep  are  fonder  than  of  the  best  hay ;  and 


T^ie  Shepherds^  Guide*  49 

when  well  preserv-ed,  they  are  among  the  very 
best  articles  of  food.  Neither  of  these,  but  particu- 
larly the  peas  or  beans,  should  be  suffered  to  dry 
be-fore  being  cut:  nor  should  the  peas-haum  be 
threshed  very  clean  :  some  green  pods  being  left 
whole,  render  it  at  once  more  palatable,  and 
more  nutritious.  In  some  parts  of  Prussia,  a  parti- 
cular species  of  reed,  which  grows  in  ponds,  i^ 
given  to  sheep :  in  this  country,  salt  hay  and  sedge 
when  they  can  be  procured,  especially  if  cut  and 
xnixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  meal,  will  be  found 
excellent  provender.  On  these,  the  wethers  and 
barren  ewes  may  be  kept  all  the  winter ;  and  even 
the  ewes  with  lamb  may  be  fed  on  them  during 
the  early  part  of  the  season,  reserving  the  green 
food  for  the  ewes,  towards,  and  during  the  lamb- 
ing season,  and  until  they  can  be  put  on  fields  of 
rye  or  rowen. 

With  all  stock,  it  is  allowed  to  be  very  dangerous 
to  pass  suddenly  from  high  feeding  to  that  which 
is  scant  and  poor  ;  or  from  plenty  of  green  food,  to 
that  which  is  altogether  dry.  Hence  arises  a 
very  important  maxim  respecting  sheep ;  which  is, 
as  soon  as  the  pastures  fail,  towards  the  end  of 
autumn,  to  put  them  to  turnips  or  cabbages,  if 
wc  have  them  ;  and  this  will  perhaps  be  found  our 
best  system  respecting  turnips  :  to  sow  a  sufficient 
quantity  for  our  sheep,  to  be  eaten  after  the  grass 
fails,  and  before  the  snow  falls,  so  ?vS  permanent- 
ly to  cover  the  groimd.     If  they  are  fed  with  any 

E 


50  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

regularity,  hurdling  them  off  in  such  portions  as  the 
sheep  will  eat  clean,  they  will  go  far;  and  the  land 
will  be  so  well  manured  as  to  produce  an  abund- 
ant crop  of  wheat,  oats,  or  any  other  grain  the 
next  season.  When  this  provision  has  not  been 
made,  pumpkins  may  probably  answer  our  pur- 
pose. I  cannot  speak  from  my  own  experience 
on  this  subject.  I  made  the  experiment  this 
year  on  a  small  scale,  with  a  few  weakly  sheep, 
lately  imported  ;  but  my  pastures  were  very  good, 
and  they  refused  them  :  but  Chancellor  Livingston 
informs  me  that  he  fed  them  to  his  sheep  the  last 
fall;  that  he  found  they  ate  them  freely,  and  that 
they  agreed  perfectly  well  with  them.  Should  this 
be  confirmed,  and  if  what  I  hear  is  true,  that  we 
have  in  New-Jersey  a  pumpkin  that  will  keep,  if 
preserved  from  the  frost,  for  more  than  a  year  ; 
we  have  in  them  an  excellent  substitute  for  tur- 
nips, carrots,  ^cabbages,  or  any  other  green  food, 
with  the  cultivation  of  which  we  are  perfectly  ac- 
quainted ;  and  which  we  know  we  can  raise  in  any 
quantity,  and  at  much  less  expense  than  any  root. 
At  any  rate,  however,  care  should  be  taken  during 
the  period  when  grass  is  scanty,  to  admit  the 
sheep  daily  to  the  fold,  and  give  them  some  hay, 
if  they  will  eat  it,  or  a  very  litde  corn  ;  that  they 
may  be  in  perfect  good  health,  when  they  are 
first  confined  to  the  fold  :  for  if  they  are  pinched, 
and  fail  in  the  beginning  of  the  winter,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  get  them  in  good  heart  again. 


The  Shepherds*  Guide*  51 

Mr.  Lavsterie  informs  us,  that  in  the  north  of 
Europe,  about  three  pounds  of  dry  food  is  allowed 
to  a  moderate  sized  sheep  per  day  ;  but  that  this 
seldom  consists  altogether  of  hay :  one  or  two 
meals  a  day  consist  of  chopped  oat,  barley,  or 
rve  straw,  with  a  small  mixture  of  meal,  or  a  little 
corn  ;  that  when  roots  make  one  third  of  their  food, 
about  3|  lbs.  or  4  lbs.  in  the  whole  is  though* 
sufficient.  The  cut  straw  is  rendered  more  palata- 
ble and  nutritious,  by  scalding  it  with  boiling 
water,  and  this  allowance  of  food  is  divided  into 
three  or  four  meals  a  day.  Of  good  hay,  our  sheep 
certainly  do  not  require  so  much,  especially  if  it 
be  given  at  three  or  four  different  meals ;  by  which 
more  is  saved  than  will  pay  for  the  additional  la- 
bour ;  and  even  in  this  way  it  should  always  be 
assisted  by  roots,  or  a  very  little  grain.  The  best 
way,  however,  is  not  to  limit  the  quantity  necessary 
to  keep  a  fiock  constantly  in  good  thriving  order, 
except  in  so  faras  to  avoid  waste.  No  animal  pays 
better  for  his  food  than  the  sheep  ;  the  quantity  of 
his  wool  alv/ays  bears  a  proportion  to  his  keep 
and  shelter  ;  and  it  is  in  vain  to  expect  strong  and 
healthy  lambs  frem  poor  and  weak  ewes.  As  long 
as  they  appear  full,  strong  and  lively,  they  have 
enough  ;  but  if  they  fall  off  in  the  least  they  re- 
quire more  ;  and  it  will  always  be  found  more 
difficult,  and  more  expensive  to  bring  them  up 
again,  than  to  preserve  them  steadily  in  a  good 
and  thriving  condition. 


52 


The  Shepherds'*  Guide. 


It  has  been  already  mentioned  that  son[\e  water 

should  be  given  to  sheep  daily  :  it  is  even  more 
nectssan^  in  winter,  when  they  are  on  dry  food, 
than  it  is  in  summer :  and  when  it  is  not  within  their 
reach,  they  should  be  turned  out  to  go  to  it  every 
day ;  but  where  it  can  easily  be  had,  a  pump  in  the 
barn-yard,  or  a  trough  to  be  filled  from  a  spring, 
is  certainly  most  convenient.  A  little  meal,  mixed 
with  the  water,  makes  it  more  nutritious  ;  and 
where  c^il  cake  is  given,  a  good  method  is  to  soak 
them  in  water,  stirring  them  well,  whenever  the 
water  is  given  ;  and  at  the  last,  giving  the  soaked 
cakes  that  remain  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel, 
mixed  with  cut  straw :  so  small  a  quantity  as  7  lbs. 
to  a  hundred  sheep  per  day,  is  said  to  be  found 
ver)^  beneficial. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  whilst  s^lt  has  been  con- 
sidered necessary  for  sheep  and  cattle  in  almost 
eyery  part  of  the  world,  it  is  of  late  only  that  the 
English  have  fallen  into  the  practice  of  giving  it. 
In  Sweden,  Denmark,  Saxony,  France  and  Spain, 
it  is  allowed  to  sheep,  and  not  only  considered 
essential  to  their  health,  but  conducive  also  to  the 
fineness  of  their  wool.  Our  farmers  are  in  the 
constant  habit  of  allowing  it  to  their  sheep,  but 
without  any  other  motive  than  that  it  is  thought 
in  general  conducive  to  their  health  ;  nor  with  any 
great  regularity  as  to  the  periods  or  the  quantity 
given.  In  most  countries,  it  is  thought  peculiarly 
useful  in  damp  weather,  and  in  Spain,  for  this  rea- 


The  Shepherds^  Guide.  53 

son,  it  is  given  spring  and  fall,  to  the  quantity  of 
128  lbs.  per  annum  to  every  1000  sheep.  Lord 
Somerville  mentions  as  much  as  a  ton  annually  to 
1000  sheep  ;  and  recommends  it,  whenever  sheep 
are  put  on  strong  wet  lands  or  young  clover  ;  and 
in  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  sheep  are  first  put  on 
turnips,  as  a  preventive  against  the  rot.  By 
some  farmers,  it  is  withheld  from  ewes  within 
four  or  five  weeks  of  lambing,  from  a  supposition 
that  it  is  so  great  a  provocative  as  to  induce  them 
to  drink  too  much.  In  Europe,  it  is  frequently 
mixed  with  yarrow,  and  other  bitter  herbs,  as  a 
stomachic  ;  the  place  of  which  may  be  supplied 
with  us  by  branches  of  spruce,  cedar  and  pine,  of 
which  sheep  are  very  fond,  and  which  agree  per- 
fectly well  with  them  :  or  it  may  occasionally  be 
mixed  with  tar,  by  spreading  them  on  a  board, 
which  is  certainly  a  good  and  healthy  practice. 


E2 


CHAPTER  III. 

Blood — Wool — Carcase  and  age  of  the  ram-*-^ 
Number  of  ewes — Changing  the  rum — Season 

— Lambs Sucking- — Weaning—Castration 

— Docking — Markine; Washing- — Shearing 

— Sorting  wool — Shearing  lambs— Wool  salv- 
ing, &c. 


Breeding'^  ^c 


I 


.T  being  agreed  that  the  great  excellence  of  the 
Merino,  the  fineness  of  his  fleece,  is  peculiar  to 
this  race  of  sheep,  and  is  in  no  degree  attributable 
to  the  influence  of  climate  or  soil ;  and  it  being 
likewise  an  established  fact,  that  the  ram  has 
much  greater  influence  upon  the  progeny  than  the 
€we  ;  it  becomes  important  to  choose  rams  pos- 
sessed of  such  qualities  as  we  wish  to  propagate. 

And  as  the  Merino  has  been  found  to  trans- 
mit all  his  excellence  of  fleece  and  carcase  to  his- 
descendants  so  perfectly,  that  at  the  fourth  cross, 
no  difference  in  these  respects  can  be  discovered 
between  the  sire  and  his  progeny  ;  a  question  has 
thence  arisen,  how  far  it  is  prudent  to  breed  from 
a  ram  of  the  mixed  breed,  of  equal  or  perhaps  su- 
perior excellence  at  a  less  price,  tfcan  from  one  of 
the  pure  blood  at  a  greater. 
Dr.  Parry;,  who  has  carried  the  mixed  breed  t© 


\    \ 


The  Shepherds'*  Guide.  S3 

a  greater  degree  of  perfection  than  any  man  in 
England,  isof  opinion,  that  when  a  person  has  at- 
tained to  such  a  degree  of  excellence  in  wool 
and  shape,  in  his  mixed  breed  of  the  4th  or  5th 
cross,  as  to  equal  or  exceed  the  sire,  it  will  not 
only  be  perfectly  safe,  but  in  the  latter  case,  it  is 
best  to  breed  from  such  rams  :  and  he  quotes  in 
support  of  his  opinion  the  practice  of  the  present 
breeders  of  horses,  who  prefer  the  English  race 
horse  to  the  best  Arabian,,  from  which  he  is 
descended;  because  they  find  him  possessed  of 
more  beauty,  strength  and  agility  than  his  ances- 
tors. 

But  we  know  the  influence  of  the  dam  to  be 
very  considerable  ;  and  in  gen<:ral,  it  is  allowed  to 
be  such  in  the  first  cross,  as  to  prevent  the  im- 
provement of  the  wool  to  more  than  double  the 
value  of  her  own ;  and  where  this  ceases,  it  is  im- 
possible to  say.  Dr.  Parry  himself,  acknow- 
ledges, that  rams  of  the  second  and  third  crosses, 
although  their  wool  may  be  equally  fine  with  that 
of  Merinos,  are  notto  be  reliedon :  and  if  this  is  the 
case,  the  same  argument  must  surely  apply  to 
the  4th  and  5th  crosses,  though  in  a  less  degree. 
However  justifiable,  therefore  it  may  be,  in  breed- 
ing in,  and  in,  to  make  use  of  mixed  rams  of  the 
same  grade,  or  of  a  superior  grade  to  the  ewes, 
with  a  view  to  preserve  the  excellence  already 
required  :  yet  unquestionably  for  the  purpose  of 
^meliorationj  and  forming  a  flock  from  the  com- 


56  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

mon  ewes  of  the  country,  it  would  be  unsafe  to 
breed  from  such  a  ram  ;  lest  the  descendants 
should  follow  the  maternal  grandsire  instead  of  the 
sire  J  as  we  see  frequently  happens  in  coloured 
sheep.  A  black  ewe  and  a  white  ram  may  give 
a  white  lamb  ;  but  this  lamb,  with  the  same  ram 
may  as  likely  give  a  black  as  a  white  lamb.  Mr. 
Xaysterie  is  decided  on  this  point ;  and  quotes  in 
support  of  his  own  opinion,  the  opinions  of  many 
of  the  best  agriculturalists  in  Europe. 

Improvement  in  wool  and  carcase  is  every 
breeder's  object  in  selecting  rams  and  ewes  for 
his  flock  :  and  with  such  views,  size,  shape  and 
wool,  are  generally  attended  to.  There  are  but 
few,  however,  who  know  to  what  minute  particu- 
lars, his  attention  should  be  directed,  or  in  what 
nice  points  a  judicious  selection  may  improve  his 
flock.  Mr.  Bakewell,  of  Dishley,  carried  this 
matter  so  far,  as  to  give  to  his  animals  almost  any 
point  he  chose  ;  to  lighten  the  bone,  to  spread  the 
loin,  to  lessen  the  head  and  neck,  to  shorten  the 
horn,  or  to  take  it  away  ;  to  increase  the  quantity 
of  fat,  and  to  place  it  where  he  pleased.  We 
know  not  as  yet,  to  what  degree  of  perfection,  do- 
mestic animals  may  be  carried ;  or  that  any  limits 
are  set  to  variety  and  improvement  in  this  way. 

In  making  a  flock,  therefore,  of  fine-wooUed 
sheep  ;  it  is  not  sufficient  to  take  care  in  general 
that  the  fleece  of  the  ram  is  heavy  and  fine  :  it 
should  be  a  prime  object  that  the  wool  should  be 


The  Shepherds'*  Guide,  S7 

equally  fine  on  the  rump  as  on  the  shoulder :  and 
as  far  as  possible  on  every  other  part  of  the  bo- 
dy :  and  the  shape  should  likewise  be  attended 
to.  A  small  head,  a  strait  back,  a  square  loin, 
a  round  barrel,  and  short  legs  are  in  general  pre- 
ferred J  and  when  connected  with  a  lively  eye,  and 
a  soft  skin  of  a  rosy  hue,  secieting  abundance 
of  }'olk,  are  accounted  sure  signs  of  health  and 
vigour,  with  a  ready  disposition  to  fatten.  Size 
alone,  is  an  object  of  less  moment ;  as  it  has  been 
unquestionably  proved,  that  the  same  quantity  of 
pasture  will  produce  as  much,  or  more  wool  and 
mutton,  from  small  sheep  (m  other  respects  equal) 
than  from  large. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add,  that  the  nearer  the 
ewe  approaches  in  the  quality  of  her  wool,  as 
well  as  in  her  shape,  to  those  qualities  which  we 
seek  for  in  the  ram,  the  sooner  we  shall  arrive  at 
the  excellence  we  wish  to  acquire  and  propagate. 
This  is  a  point  to  which  every  breeder  has  it  in 
his  power  to  attend  ;  we  possess  a  considerable 
variety  of  sheep,  from  which  he  may  make  his 
selection  :  and  the  more  attentive  he  is  to  it  the 
greater  will  be  his  profits.  It  is  only  necessary  to 
caution  him  from  being  tempted  by  the  large  size 
and  heavy  fleeces  of  those  sheep  which  have  a 
considerable  mixture  of  English  blood.  If  he 
chooses  such,  he  will  probably  be  put  back  one 
cross  in  his  improvement.  It  is  from  among  our 


^ 


58  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

smaller  close-wooUed  sheep  he  should  seek  his 
ewes. 

Hitherto,  whilst  our  stock  of  Merinos  were 
small,  and  the  price  high,  our  anxiety  to  get  on, 
and  make  a  flock  as  fast  as  possible,  has  induced 
us  to  purchase  lambs,  and  to  put  them  as  such  to 
as  many  ewes  as  they  could  cover  :  and  perhaps 
from  similar  motives  the  Danes,  as  Mr.  Laysterie 
informs  us,  have  adopted  the  habit  of  putting 
shearlings  of  eighteen  months  old,  or  even  younger, 
to  ewes.  But  even  this  is  much  earlier  than  is 
practised  in  any  other  countr}^  of  Europe  ;  where 
in  general  rams  are  not  admitted  to  cover,  until 
they  are  two  or  three  years  old :  and  in  some 
countries  they  lay  them  aside  again  at  seven  or 
eight.  There  is  little  doubt  but  that  it  would  be 
best  to  have  patience  until  the  ram  has  arrived  at 
maturity,  which  the  Merino  does  not  acquire  at 
soonest,  until  he  is  two  years  and  a  half  old.  When 
put  earlier,  his  own  growth  may  be  checked,  es- 
pecially if  put  to  above  20  or  30  ewes  :  and  the 
pi  oprietor  may  be  disappointed  both  in  the  num- 
ber and  vigour  of  his  lambs. 

But,  both  in  this  country  and  in  England,  very 
old  rams  have  been  employed,  and  found  to  pro- 
duce a  healthy  and  vigorous  stock. 

The  same  observations  apply  to  ewes.  None 
should  be  employed  before  they  are  at  least  eight- 
e*r.n  months  ;  perhaps  better  at  two  years  and  a 
hftlt  old.    Younger  ewes  produce  small  and  weak- 


The  Shepherds^  Guide. 


m 


ly  lambs,  and  frequently  make  bad  nurses  ;  yet 
it  is  contended  by  some  farmers,  that  when  suf- 
fered to  breed  early,  they  acquire  a  larger  pelvis, 
yean  more  easily,  and  make  better  nurses  in  fu- 
ture. Supposing  this  reasoning  to  be  just,  which 
I  think  very  doubtful  ;  it  is  allowed,  that  their 
lambs  should  be  taken  from  them  soon  after  they 
are  dropped,  and  reared  upon  a  cow  or  a  foster 
mother.  Suckling  is  more  exhausting  than  preg- 
nancy, and  interferes  more  with  the  growth  of  a 
young  ewe. 


We  judge  of  the  age  of  a  sheep,  as  well  as  of  all 
ruminant  animals  by  the  teeth.  A  lamb  has 
eight  pointed  teeth,  Fig.  1.  About  one  year 
old  they  shed  the  two  front  teeth,  and  obtain  in 
their  places  two  broad  and  larger  teeth.  Fig.  2. 
One  of  two  years  old  has  four  broad  teeth,  Fig. 
3.  One  of  three  years  old  has  six.  Fig.  4.  Af- 
ter four  years,  they  have  shed  all  their  lamhs' 
teeth,  have  eight  broad  teeth,  Fig.  5,  and  are 
said  to  be  full  mouthed.  After  this  the  teeth  be- 
gin to  break,  shorten  and  fall  out,  Fig.  6,  pretty 


60  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

much  in  the  same  succession  in  which  they  ap- 
peared :  and  by  the  time  they  arrive  at  eight  or 
ten  years  of  age,  their  teeth  are  generally  de- 
stroyed. 

Again,  a  great  difference  exists  as  to  the  num- 
ber of  ewes  to  which  a  ram  may  be  put.  BuffoH 
limits  the  number  to  25  or  30.  In  Spain,  one  ram 
is  provided  for  every  25.  In  Denmark,  they  ad- 
mit 40  or  50  ewes  to  each  ram.  In  England, 
Thomson  mentions  as  an  instance  of  great  vigour 
120  :  and  Dr.  Parr)^  146.  In  this  country,  some 
rams  have  certainly  covered  two  or  three  hun- 
dred ;  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  if  proper 
means  are  employed,  a  ram,  perhaps  without  inju- 
ry, will  go  to  a  greater  number.  On  the  contrary, 
indiscriminately  to  turn  a  ram  with  two  or  three 
hundred  ewes  in  a  season  will  greatly  exhaust 
him  J  many  of  the  ewes  will  probably  prove 
barren  ;  and  of  the  lambs,  many  will  be  small  and 
feeble. 

When  it  is  wished  that  a  ram  should  cover  a 
great  number  of  ewes,  he  should  previously  be 
put  into  high  health,  and  kept  up  during  the  sea- 
son with  the  best  of  pasture,  and  plenty  of  grain. 
And  instead  of  being  turned  into  the  flodk,  the 
ewes,  which  are  in  heat  should  be  regularly 
brought  to  him.  To  discern  such  ewes,  let  a  vi- 
gorous common  ram  be  put  into  the  flock,  previ- 
ously secured  by  an  apron  under  his  belly  ;  which 
being  coloured  with  lamp-black  or  Spanish  brown 


The  Shepherm^  Guide*  61 

mixed  with  train-oil,  or  kitchen  grease^  which 
will  not  dry  ;  he  will  mark  every  ewe  which 
comes  in  heat.  These  being  taken  to  the  ram, 
and  again  taken  away  as  soon  as  covered,  he  will 
not  exhaust  himself  by  needless  repetition. 

This  is  unquestionably  the  best  mode,  but  it  is 
likewise  the  most  troublesome.  My  method  has 
been,  to  keep  up  my  ram  with  a  few  full-blood 
ewes  during  the  day,  upon  a  small,  but  very  good 
pasture,  that  he  may  feed  without  disturbance  ; 
and  to  put  the  flock  of  ewes  to  him  every  night,  in. 
a  confined  fold,  his  belly  having  been  previously 
coloured,  and  every  morning  to  separate  and  put 
into  a  pasture  by  themselves  the  ewes  which  have 
been  marked. 

By  all  these  attentions,  selecting  the  best  rams 
and  ewes,  such  as  are  in  the  vigour  of  their  age, 
and  never  suffering  the  rams  to  be  weakened  and 
exhausted  by  numbers,  we  shall  arrive  at  our  ob- 
ject, to  acquire  a  numerous    flock  of  the  most 
perfect  sheep,  with  sufficient  rapidity ;  whilst  at 
the   same  time,  we  shall  preserve  the  vigour  of 
both  ewes  and  rams  to  the  latest  period  of  their 
lives.     We  have  known  in  this  country  rams  to 
be  successfully  employed  after    eight    and    ten 
years  of  age:    and  Mr.  Laysterie  mentions  one 
at  Rambouillet,  which,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  pro- 
duced good  lambs. 

It  is  an  old  opinion,  that  by  frequently  chang- 
ing the  ram,  and  by  procuring  another  of  the 

F 


62  The  Shepherds'*  Guide, 

same  breed  from  a  distant  flock,  we  shall  improve 
our.  own.  But  this  opinion  has  been  so  fully  ex- 
ploded by  Mr.  Bakewell  in  England,  and  all 
who  have  followed  his  example,  that  I  should  not 
have  thought  it  worth  mentioning,  but  to  remove 
a  prejudice,  which,  perhaps,  some  may  still  enter- 
tain. The  better  rule  now  is,  to  breed  from  the 
most  perfect  animals,  although  they  should  be  de- 
scended from  the  same  family,  to  the  tenth  gene- 
ration. If  I  was  to  hazard  a  theoretical  opinion 
on  this  subject,  I  would  say,  that  beauty  of  form, 
and  other  corporeal  qualities  are  preserved  by 
breeding  in  and  in  ;  that  vigour  of  intellect  in  man, 
courage  and  spirit  in  other  animals  are  improved 
by  crossing. 

A  ewe  goes  five  months  :  the  seasort  of  putting 
her  to  the  ram,  therefore,  must  be  so  calculated, 
as  to  have  the  lambs  fall  early  or  late,  according 
to  the  wishes  of  the  owner,  and  the  provision  he 
has  made  for  their  support.  Early  lambs  are  to 
be  preferred  on  many  accounts  ;  they  are  strong- 
er, and  more  able  to  bear  the  rigours  of  the  suc- 
ceeding winter;  they  are  sooner  fit  for  market ; 
and  hence,  whether  for  store  sheep  or  for  the 
butcher,  are  most  profitable.  It  is  likewise  ob- 
served, that  when  the  first  heat  of  the  ewe  is  suf- 
fered to  go  by,  the  second  or  third  return  of  im- 
pulse is  by  no  means  so  sure  ;  that  such  ewes  are 
apt  to  prove  barren,  and  perhaps,  from  the  same 
cause,  the  lambs  are  less  vigorous. 

On  the  other  hand,  early  Iambs  require  great 


The  Shepherds''  Guides  63 

care  and  attention ;  and  unless  comfortable  shelter 
is  provided  for  them,  and  an  ample  supply  of 
roots,  bran,  oil  cake,  &c.  is  laid  up  for  the  ewes, 
only  loss  and  mortification  will  be  the  conse- 
quence. 

Even  where  lambs  are  meant  to  fall  in  April, 
v/hich  is  quite  as  late  as  in  our  climate  it  ought 
to  be ;  it  will  be  found  necessary  to  provide  a 
field  of  early  sown  rye,  or  of  good  rowen,  for  the 
support  of  such  ewes  as  yean  in  the  beginning  of 
the  month.  Wiih  some  of  the  best  English 
farmers,  care  is  taken  that  the  lambs  fall  so  early 
as  Christmas  ;  and  the  reason  given  for  it  is,  that 
at  this  season  they  abound  in  turnips,  cabbages, 
carrots,  &c.  for  the  support  of  the  ewes  :  that 
long  before  the  winter  is  out,  such  lambs  eat 
hay,  bran,  &c.  as  well  as  the  ewes  :  that  when 
intended  for  the  butcher,  they  come  very  early  to 
market,  and  command  a  much  better  price  ;  and 
that  when  kept  as  store  sheep,  they  yield  a  very  to- 
lerable fleece,  which  in  fine-wooUed  sheep,  secures 
a  considerable  profit  on  the  first  year.  To  ap- 
ply the  same  arguments  ^o  us,  the  lambs  should 
fall  in  November.  It  may  be  worth  the  attempt 
which  Chancellor  Livingston  has  been  making 
for  a  year  or  two  past,  by  suffering  his  rams  to 
run  continually  with  the  ewes.  He  will  give  us 
the  result  of  his  experiments,  but  it  must  take 
several  years  before  the  season,  as  it  regards  the 
flock  in  general,  can  be  thus  completely  changed. 


64  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

Lambs  which  fall  in  the  winter,  or  very  early  ia 
the  spring,  require  so  niuch  care  and  attention^ 
that  it  will  be  found  much  the  most  safe  and  con- 
venient not  to  have  too  many  fall  together  :  this 
will  be  the  case  when  the  ram  goes  continually 
with  the  ewes  :  but  when  it  is  intended  that  the 
lambs  should  not  fall  before  April,  it  is  most  con- 
venient that  the  ewes  should  yean  much  about  the 
same  time.  With  this  intention,  the  ewes,  from 
the  time  of  weaning  the  lambs  should  be  particu- 
larly well  kept ',  and  about  a  week  before  putting 
the  ram  to  them,  should  have  a  little  oats  or  corn 
given  to  them  daily.  At  Rambouillet,  oats  are 
recommended  for  rams  during  the  whole  season. 
They  are  supposed  in  a  particular  degree  to  impart 
vigour,  and  to  have  a  great  effect  on  the  lambs  ; 
which,  in  size,  constitution  and  wool,  are  suppos- 
ed to  bear  a  resemblance  to  the  ram  or  ewe  in 
proportion  to  the  superiority  of  vigour  possessed 
by  either.  In  proof  of  the  truth  of  this  opinion,  a 
well  fed  flock  is  always  found  to  produce  more 
twins  than  one  that  is  scantily  fed  ;  and  twins  are 
also  most  common  at  the  commencement  of  the 
lambing  season  ;  being  the  produce  of  the  male 
before  his  vigour  is  impaired.  A  strong  argu- 
ment for  providing  a  full  supply  of  rams. 

Breeding  ewes,  likewise,  should  be  particularly 
M-ell  fed  with  succulent  nutritious  food  a  few 
weeks  before  lambing :  in  consequence,  the  lambs 
will  be  far  stronger,  and  the  ewes  will  have  a 
greater  abundance  of  milk  for  their  support. 


The  Shepherds'  Guide,  65 

All  that  has  been  said  on  the  subject  of  shelter, 
as  it  respects  older  sheep,  applies  more  forcibly 
to  lambs  ;  especially  when  they  are  allowed  to  fall 
early,  and  in  particular  to  those  of  the  Merino 
breed ;  which  in  general  are  so  thinly  clad,  that 
they  are  very  apt  to  suffer  from  cold.  It  is  neces- 
sary, therefore,  in  cold  weather,  to  shut  up  during 
the  night  such  ewes  as  are  very  forward,  that 
they  may  be  sure  to  drop  their  lambs  under  com- 
fortable shelter  :  because,  during  the  first  night, 
before  they  have  been  cleaned  by  the  mother,  and 
become  dry,  the  lamb  is  most  apt  to  perish  from 
frost.  Nor  should  the  lambs  be  exposed  at  all  to 
severe  cold  and  w^ct,  until  they  have  acquired 
strength  to  endure,  and  a  warm  coat  to  protect 
them  against  it.  It  frequently  happens,  especially 
with  Merinos,  that  the  ewes  make  bad  nurses, 
both  from  want  of  milk,  and  from  neglect  of 
their  lambs  ;  this  is  another  reason  for  their  being 
confined  :  and  if,  for  a  few  days,  the  ewe  is  shut  up 
alone  with  her  lamb  in  a  close  pen,  and  there 
held  three  or  four  times  a  day,  that  the  lamb  may 
suck,  she  will  grow  fond  of  it :  and  if,  at  the  same 
time  she  is  fed  with  green  food,  or  shorts  and 
water,  her  milk  will  increase.  When  a  ewe  has 
very  little  milk,  or  absolutely  none,  as  sometimes 
happens  ;  or  in  case  of  the  death  of  a  ewe,  a  new 
milch  cow,  or  a  foster  mother,  are  our  only  re- 
sources :  and  for  breeders  of  valuable  sheep  it  Is 
but  common  prudence  to  be  provided  for  such  an 


66  The  Shepherds^  Guide, 

occasion.  A  cow  can  generally  be  procured, 
and  very  fine  lambs  may  be  raised  in  that  way  : 
but  it  is  the  least  convenient,  as  the  lamb  when 
young  must  be  held  to  the  teat ;  and  even  when 
sufficiently  grown  to  suck,  it  must  be  attended 
while  it  sucks,  lest  the  cow  should  kick  and  in- 
jure it.  For  these  reasons  a  sucking  bottle,  pre- 
pared with  a  pipe,  and  a  proper  air  vent,  or  what 
is  still  better,  a  foster  mother  is  to  be  preferred : 
and  when  a  ewe  can  be  procured  she  may  easily 
be  made  to  take  and  become  fond  of  the  lamb,  by 
covering  the  lamb  for  a  few  days  with  the  skin  of 
her  own  lamb :  or  by  rubbing  the  lamb  of  the 
foster  mother  with  asafcetida  ;  and  when  she  has 
become  accustomed  to  the  odour,  to  rub  the  foster 
lamb  in  the  same  manner,  and  then  change  them. 
When  it  is  wished  to  give  the  lamb  two  mothers, 
as  is  said  to  be  the  practice  in  Spain,  and  by 
which  very  fine  lambs  may  be  raised,  either  of 
these  methods  may  be  pursued.  I  have  already 
mentioned  Chancellor  Livingston's  boxes,  by 
means  of  which  lambs  may  be  early  taught  to  eat 
boiled  oats,  roots,  cabbages  or  tender  hay,  which 
brings  them  forward  very  fast.  It  is  of  very 
great  consequence  to  feed  sheep  well  during  their 
infancy,  if  we  wish  to  fortify  their  constitutions 
against  the  diseases  to  which  they  are  most  ex- 
posed. From  the  want  of  abundance  of  food  in 
the  earlier  stages  of  life,  sheep  are  often  feeble^ 
and  degenerate  in  some  of  their  best  qualities  •; 


The  Shepherds' Guide.  d!r 

to  this  end,  oil  cake  dissolved  in  water,  or  meal 
mixed  with  water,  makes  a  very  nutritious  drink  ; 
which  should  be  given  to  them  as  soon  as  they 
can  be  taught  to  take  it. 

Mr.  Laysterie  mentions  the  practice  of  a  Mr. 
Fink,  a  Prussian  agriculturalist,  who  allows  his 
ewes  to  be  with  their  lambs  only  three  times  a 
day  ;  asserting  that  the  lambs  fatigue  themselves 
by  running  about,  and  incessantly  attempting  to 
suck  :  and  likewise  that  they  refuse  all  herbage 
much  longer  whilst  they  are  kept  constantly  with 
the  ewes,  than  when  in  his  way  they  are  admitted 
to  them  only  at  intervals.  Whilst  separate,  they 
are  more  quiet ;  learn  to  eat  grass  sooner,  thrive 
better,  and  are  more  easily  and  sooner  weaned. 
When  this  method  is  pursued,  an  old  ewe  or  two, 
or  a  weak  ram  or  a  wether  should  be  kept  with  the 
lambs  to  guide  and  govern  them.  I  cannot  say 
I  have  actual  experience  of  this  practice,  but  our 
mode  of  fatting  calves  certainly  recommends  it. 

Merino  lambs,  particularly  those  of  the  Infan- 
tado  and  Paular  flocks,  are  frequently  produced 
with  a  coarse  hairy  covering,  and  sometimes 
with  their  ears  and  legs,  and  large  spots  on  differ- 
ent parts  of  their  bodies,  of  a  brown  tawny  colour. 
But  no  alarm  need  be  entertained  on  this  subject, 
such  hair  and  spots  will  be  succeeded  within  six 
months  by  wool  of  a  beautiful  white,  and  of  the 
finest  quality. 

In  Denmark,  they  wean  their  lambs  at  three 


6«  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

months  old.  In  Piedmont,  some  are  said  to  we^n 
so  early  as  40  days :  on  the  contrarj^,  at  Rambouil- 
let,  they  let  them  suck  five  or  six  months.  But 
very  large  lambs  injure  and  weaken  the  ewes, 
and  it  is  frequently  seen  that  such  lambs  thrive 
faster  after  they  have  been  weaned  than  before  ; 
whilst  the  growth  of  such  as  are  weaned  so  ear- 
ly as,  or  earlier  than  three  months,  v/ill  be  there- 
bv  checked  and  impeded.  We,  therefore,  prefer 
the  fourth,  or  at  latest  the  fifth  month.  Such 
lambs  as  have  been  accustomed  to  feed,  may  be 
weaned  the  earlier  ;  and  by  so  doing,  the  ewe  has 
more  time  to  recover  her  strength  and  flesh  be- 
fore she  goes  again  to  ram.  Whilst  by  the  negli- 
gent practice  of  letting  the  lambs  run  with  the 
ewes  until  they  wean  themselves,  both  the  ewes 
and  the  lambs  are  injured.  The  lambs,  by  too 
long  sucking,  weary  and  exhaust  the  ewes  ;  and 
the  ewes  continually  drive  the  lambs  from  the 
tenderest  and  sweetest  pasture. 

Weaning  should  be  gradual,  lest  the  udder  of 
the  ewe  should  be  injured,  and  lest  the  lamb 
should  be  hurt  by  too  sudden  a  change  of  diet. 
This  is  easily  eifeeted,by  admitting  the  lamb  to  the 
ewe  but  once  a  day,  for  a  very  few  days;  and  after 
they  are  five,  or  at  most  six  months  old,  the  ram 
lambs  should  be  separated  from  the  ewe  lambs, 
lest  the  rams  become  enervated  by  endeavouring 
to  serve  the  ewes  ;  and  lest  some  of  the  most  for- 
ward ewes  should  be  impregnated. 


The  Shepherds'  Guide*  69 

Castration  should  be  performed  when  the  lamb 
IS  about  fourteen  days  old.  When  done  much 
earlier,  while  the  lamb  is  very  weak  and  feeble,  a 
due  degree  of  inflammation  may  not  follow.  When 
it  is  put  off,  as  is  generally  done  in  this  country 
until  the  lamb  is  six  weeks  or  two  months  old,  it 
frequently  runs  too  high;  and  from  either  cause, 
mortification  and  death  may  ensue.  Two  modes 
of  performing  it  are  common :  one  by  making 
a  longitudinal  slit  in  the  scrotum,  drawing  the 
testicle  out,  and  scraping  away  the  cord  ;  the 
other,  by  cutting  a  small  piece  from  the  bottom  of 
the  scrotum,  forcing  the  testicle  through,  and 
pulling  it  steadily  until  the  cord  gives  way.  The 
last  is  the  best  mode  ;  and  both  will  be  rendered 
safest,  and  will  be  performed  with  less  pain  to  the 
animal,  by  employing  a  keen  instrument ;  with 
which  too,  the  cord  should  be  cut  across  in  the 
first  mode  of  performing  the  operation.  The 
danger  from  haemorrhage,  which  is  the  reason 
given  for  scraping  the  cord,  is  by  no  means  such 
in  a  young  lamb  as  to  justify  the  more  cruel  mode 
of  scraping.  It  is  of  more  consequence  to  take 
the  opportunity  of  mild  weather.  In  a  very  cold 
or  a  very  hot  season,  many  lambs  may  be  lost. 
When,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  perform  it  in 
the  winter,  the  opportunity  of  a  thaw  should  be 
embraced,  and  the  lamb  should  be  kept  for  some 
days  in  a  comfortable  sheep  house.  When  in 
summer,  the  same,  or  some  other  shelter  from  the 


70  The  Shepherds*  Guide* 

heat  of  the  sun  should  be  afforded ;  and  at  all 
times  he  should  be  kept  as  quiet  as  possible  for  a 
day  or  two. 

All  persons  who  are  careful  in  raising  a  fine 
breed  of  sheep  dock  the  tails,  and  many  shorten 
the  horns.  Both  operations  rid  the  animal  of  a 
useless  appendage,  and  are  easily  performed : 
that  of  the  horns  by  a  fine  saw,  when  the  lamb  is 
about  one  year  old  :  the  tail  may  be  cut  off  about 
two  or  three  inches  from  the  root,  as  soon  as  the 
lamb  has  recovered  from  castration.  Some  of 
the  Merino  sheep,  especially  of  the  hornless 
breed,  have  long  crooked  hoofs,  which,  unless 
sawed  off  once  or  twice  a  year,  become  extreme- 
ly troublesome  and  inconvenient  to  the  animal. 
I  think  I  have  found  some  injury  to  follow  saw- 
ing them  too  short. 

Every  person  desirous  to  make  a  flock  of  Me- 
l-inos,  by  crossing  the  common  sheep  of  the  coun- 
try with  Merino  rams,  should  be  particularly 
careful  to  mark  his  lambs  soon  after  they  drop  :  at 
least,  so  soon  as  that  the  dam  cannot  be  mistaken  : 
that  in  future  crosses  no  error  may  happen  from 
ignorance  of  the  grade  of  his  ewes  ;  and  that  in 
selling,  no  deception  may  be  practised  on  the  pur- 
chaser. On  this  subject,  Mr.  Laysterie  has  giv- 
en so  perspicuous  and  easy  a  system,  that  I  be- 
lieve I  cannot  do  better  than  to  copy  it,  (as  I  have 
done  many  other  useful  hints  and  observations) 
from  his  book.     It  a  flock  of  pure  Merino  sheep. 


The  Shepherds^  Guide.  71 

and  another  of  the  mixed  breed  be  kept  upon  the 
same  farm,  it  will  be  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of 
avoiding  mistakes,  to  give  all  the  individuals  of 
the  pure  flock  a  permanent  mark,  by  which  they 
may  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  mixed 
breed  :  and  to  this  end  it  may  be  best  to  adopt 
the  Spanish  method  ;  that  is,  to  apply  a  small 
heated  iron  to  the  face,  leaving  the  impression  of 
a  letter  or  a  number,  which,  being  indelible,  is  the 
best  mark  of  proprietorship.  Of  the  mixed  flock, 
every  individual  should  be  ear-marked,  and  two 
Roman  figures,  I  and  V  will  suflice  for  a  series 
of  numbers  more  than  sufficient.  The  number 
I  will  designate  the  animal,  as  far  as  four  inclu- 
sive ;  by  making  the  proper  number  of  slits  on 
either  ear.  To  make  five,  a  portion  of  the  ear  is  cut 
out,  of  the  shape  of  V.  The  numbers  immediately 
following  are  slit  on  either  side  the  mark  V ;  VI 
six,  VII  seven,  IV  eight,  IIV  nine.  To  mark 
ten,  he  begins  with  one  slit  on  the  other  ear  ;  and 
by  combining  these,  we  may  go  on  to  any  number 
which  may  be  required,  according  to  the  views  of 
the  proprietor ;  keeping  an  exact  register  of 
the  mark  and  purpose  for  which  it  has  been 
adopted. 


72 


The  Shepherds  Guide* 


■x> 


Washing  and  shearing.  The  Spaniards  scour 
the  wool  of  the  Merino  after  it  is  shorn  :  and  Dr. 
Parry  objects  to  washing  the  wool  in  the  common 
way,  on  the  sheep's  back,  both  as  dangerous  to 
the  animal,  and  in  reality  of  little  use  to  Merino 
wool  \  the  greasy  yolk  of  which  can  be  discharg- 
ed, but  in  a  very  partial  degree,  by  washing  in  cold 
water ;  and  the  manufacturer  will  have  nearly  as 
much  trouble  in  scouring  the  fleeces  afterwards^ 
as  if  it  had  not  been  done. 

It  must  be  confessed  there  is  some  risk  in  this 
practice  of  washing  wool  in  the  common  way  on 
the  sheep's  back ;  and  when  immediately  after 


The  Shepherds*  Guide.  73 

shearing,  the  sheep  have  been  exposed  to  severe 
cold  ;  especially  if  accompanied  by  rain.     Great 
numbers  have  been  lost  in  this,  and  all  cold  coun- 
tries :   but  these  losses  may  probably  be  attribut- 
ed, with  good  reason,  as  much  to  the  depriving 
the  animal  under  such  circumstances  of  his  warm 
clothing,  as  to  the  washing.      As,  therefore,  we 
are  likew^ise  informed  that  the  v/ool-buyers  object 
to  the  wool  being  shorn  unwashed,  stating  ihat 
they  can  form  no  just  estimate  of  the  real  weight, 
unless  the  general  custom  of  the  country  is  observ- 
ed :  and  as  washing  the  wool  in  warm  water, 
when  performed  by  unskilful  hands  is  frequently 
found  to  felt  the  wool  into  rolls,  and  injure  its 
sale  :   and  as  it  is  not  easy  to  turn  the  w^hole  body 
of  farmers  from   their  usual  practice,  it  may  be 
best,  at  least  for  the  present,  to  direct  how  it  may 
be  well  done,  and  with  the  least  risk,  than  to  for- 
bid the  practice  altogether. 

Our  mode  is  to  wash  the  sheep  in  a  running 
stream,  sufficiently  deep  for  a  man  to  go  with  the 
sheep  into  the  water  up  to  his  waist ;  to  plunge  the 
sheep  repeatedly  into  the  stream,  and  then  to  rub 
the  v/ool  well  in  the  water ;  and  finally,  to  press 
out  the  water,  beginning  at  the  head,  and  pro- 
ceeding to  the  extremities.  From  the  middle  of 
May  to  the  middle  of  June  is  the  season  ;  and 
we  are  careful  to  seize  the  opportunity  of  mild 
and  clear  weather.  After  washing,  and  belbre 
shearing,  the  sheep  should  be  kept  two  or  three 

G 


74  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

days  in  a  clean  pasture,  that  the  wool  may  become 
dry,  and  that  the  yolk  may  in  some  measure  rise 
again,  which  renders  the  wool  more  soft  and 
supple.  In  Sweden,  some  Merino  breeders  place 
the  animal  on  his  back,  with  his  head  up,  in  a  large 
tub,  wash  him  well  with  warm  water,  with  a  mix- 
ture of  a  small  quantity  of  stale  urine  or  soap- 
leys,  and  finally  cleanse  him  in  pure  water.  This 
appears  to  be  an  excellent  practice  ;  is  particular- 
ly recommended  by  Mr.  Bakewell,  and  is  said  to 
render  Spanish  wool  seven  per  cent,  cleaner  than 
by  washing  it  in  cold  water  ;  with  much  less  risk 
of  being  felted  than  when  so  washed,  after  being 
shorn. 

In  order  to  render  Merino  wool  fit  for  the 
manufacturer,  much  more  care  and  skill  are  ne- 
cessary, and  several  processes  are  recommended 
for  that  purpose.  But,  as  many  of  these  are  intri- 
cate, and  some  of  them  dangerous  in  the  hands  of 
unskilful  persons,  it  is  safest  to  leave  them  to  the 
manufacturers ;  contenting  ourselves  with  cleans- 
ing the  wool,  so  far  only  as  will  fit  it  for  the  mar- 
ket. 

Shearing,  This  is  a  business  which  our  far- 
mers are  too  apt  to  hurry  and  slight.  They  seem 
more  anxious  to  finish  the  work  in  a  short  time, 
than  to  do  it  well.  But,  besides,  that  close  and  even 
shearing  adds  to  the  weight  of  the  present  fleece^ 
it  is  certain  that  the  fleece  of  the  next  year  will 
be  the  better  and  the  weightier  for  it.    Merino 


The  Shepherds^  Guide*  77 

fully  kept  asunder,  lest  the  mixture  of  the 
coarser,  should  injure  the  sale  of  the  finer  wool. 

This  is  likewise  the  proper  time  for  selecting 
the  ewes,  and  marking  such  as  from  age,  or  other 
defects  should  be  drawn  and  sold  off  or  fatted, 
from  such  as  should  be  reserved  for  breeding. 
And  a  careful  breeder  will  go  farihwSV^nd  take  the 
opportunity  for  becoming  more  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  properties  of  the  indiytduals  of 
his  flock  ;  so  that  in  future,  he  may,  by  judicious 
combination  improve  his  flock,  and  obtain  ani- 
mals more  perfect  and  more  profitable. 

Immediately  after  shearing  it  is  not  only  neces- 
sary to  protect  sheep  from  cold  and  wet,  by  ex- 
posure to  which  great  numbers  have  been  lost ;  but 
if  the  weather  proves  hot  and  dry,  the  sheep  should 
be  put  into  pastures,  in  which  they  can  have  abim- 
dance  of  shade  :  and  when  this  cannot  be  had,  they 
should  for  a  ihort  time,  during  the  middle  of  the 
day,  have  the  shelter  of  a  barn  or  sheep  house. 

Shearing  Lambs.  Some  difference  of  opinion 
exists  as  to  the  propriety  and  advantages  of  this 
practice.  Mr.  Laysterie  informs  us  that  at  Ram- 
bouillet,  lambs  shorn  at  six  months,  and  again 
when  they  became  two-toothed  sheep,  yielded 
less  wool,  and  of  an  inferior  quality  than  when 
the  fleece  was  suffered  to  remain.  On  the  con- 
trary, Mr.  Ivard's  experiments  give  a  small  ad- 
vantage to  the  shearing  of  lambs  j  and  Mr.  Hunt 
assures  us,  thatearly  lambs  may  be  shorn  to  advan- 

G2 


rs  The  Shepherds'  Gnic/e, 

tage  about  the  end  of  July :  that  they  improve 
much,  soon  after  shearing ;  are  more  cool  and 
more  comfortable ;  get  rid  of  ticks  ;  rest  and  feed 
with  less  disturbance  :  that  by  winter,  they  ac- 
quire a  sufficient  fleece  for  their  defence,  and  at 
the  following  shearing  yield  a  fleece  nearly  as 
heavy,  more  regular,  and  of  a  better  quality.  And 
Mr.  Pictet,  in  a  letter  to  Lord  Somerville  informs 
him,  that  some  good  husbandmen  clip  from  the 
surface  of  their  lambs'  fleeces,  about  one  or  two 
lines  in  length,  so  as  to  procure  about  half  a 
pound  of  wool  from  each  ;  that  the  growth  of  the 
remainder  is  accelerated  thereby,  so  as  to  give 
a  heavier  fleece  the  next  spring,  upon  the  same 
principle  that  hair  grov/s  more  vigorously  after 
occasional  cutting. 

One  of  my  neighbours  has  been  in  the  practice 
of  shearing  his  Merino  lambs  for  two  years  past ; 
and  from  his  own  experience  confirms  the  above 
observations.  I  sheared  near  one  hundred  lambs 
at  the  last  shearing,  and  they  certainly  look  as 
well  this  spring  as  those  which  were  left  unshorn. 
If,  therefore,  this  practice  shall  be  found  no  ways 
detrimental  to  the  sheep,  the  profit  recommends 
it ;  as  this  wool  sells  readily  to  hatters,  at  a  good 
price. 

Wool.  Fine  and  soft  wool,  of  a  regular  and 
even  fineness  of  pile,  and  of  equal  strength  the 
whole  length  of  the  staple,  exceeds  in  value  such 
as  is  coarse,  hard  and  unequal,  or  as  it  is  called 


The  Shepherds'  Guide,  79 

jointed  in  the  pile,  to  so  great  a  degree,  that 
Mr.  Robert  Bakewell,  a  gentleman,  who  from 
early  life  has  been  engaged  in  the  wool  business, 
and  is  consequently  well  acquainted  with  the  sub- 
ject, has  thought  it  of  sufficient  importance  to 
make  it  the  subject  of  a  very  ingenious  essay,  ad- 
dressed to  Lord  Somerville,  so  lately  as  the  year 
1810.  He  asserts,  that  taking  two  packs  of  wool, 
of  the  same  apparent  fineness,  one  possessing  in 
an  eminent  degree  the  soft  quality,  the  other  of 
the  hard  kind,  the  farmer  will  from  the  first,  with 
the  same  expense  to  the  manufacturer,  make  a 
cloth,  the  value  of  which  shall  exceed  the  latter  full 
twenty- five  per  cent.  Eveiy  means,  therefore, 
which  can  contribute  to  give  to  our  wool  these 
estimable  qualities  should  be  known  and  pursued. 
The  first  and  most  important  of  these  no  doubt  is, 
the  introduction  of  the  Merino,  the  best  and  most 
valuable  breed  of  fine-woolled  sheep  known  j  and 
the  improvement  of  his  fleece,  as  well  as  that  of 
his  descendants,  by  judicious  breeding  and  selec- 
tion. But  besides  these,  some  other  circumstances 
and  attentions  in  the  management  of  sheep  are 
said  to  contribute  so  greatly  to  this  end,  that  they 
deserve  to  be  particularly  considered. 

Mr.  Bakewell,justmentioned,  strongly  recom- 
mends the  practice  of  greasing  and  salving  sheep, 
as  is  done  in  Scotland,  Northumberland,  York- 
shire, and  some  other  northern  counties  of  Eng- 
land j  as  giving  to  wool  that  soft  and  silky  feel,  so 


$0  ^he  Shepherds'  Guide. 

highly  vaUied  ;  and  which  of  late,  since  it  has  been 
better  understood,  and  more  justly  appreciated 
than  formerly,  has  given  a  decided  preference  in 
the  market  to  some  native  English  v/ools  which 
possess  it ;  and  to  cloths  manufactured  from 
them,  over  wools  of  superior  fineness  which  do  not# 
This  superior  degree  of  softness  in  some  kinds  of 
English  wool,  he  attributes  to  the  practice  of 
salving  and  greasing  ;  and  assures  us,  that  from 
this  circumstance,  some  of  the  fine  wools  of 
Northumberland  and  Yorkshire  have  acquired  it, 
in  a  superior  degree  to  any  ungreased  wools  in 
England :  so  that  cloths  made  from  gi'eased 
Northumberland  wool  had  been  sold  as  cloths 
made  from  good  Spanish  wool.  That  they  equal- 
led them  in  texture  and  softness,  and  surpass- 
ed cloths  made  of  ungreased  wool,  equally  fine, 
by  at  least  thirty  per  cent.  He  adds,  that  this 
practice  not  only  renders  v/ool  softer,  but  actually 
finer  ;  observing  that  the  line  of  distinction  made 
by  the  stain  of  the  ointment,  (in  which  tar  is 
generally  an  ingredient)  being  very  perceptible, 
affords  an  opportunity  to  compare  the  bottom,  to 
which  the  ointment  had  been  applied,  with  the 
top,  which  had  grown  before  its  application,  and 
that  the  bottom  is  found  to  be  not  only  softer^ 
but  actually  finer. 

Other  good  effects  of  this  practice  are,  that  it 
preserves  the  wool,  as  well  as  the  sheep,  from  the 
injurious  eflfects  of  heat,  and  cold  and  wet  j  that 


The  Shepherds'  Guide*  8  i 

it  prevents  the  scab,  and  destroys  ticks  and 
other  vermin  to  which  sheep  are  subject.  Shorn 
wool,  kept  long,  in  a  very  warm  and  dry  tempera- 
ture becomes  indurated  and  elastic,  and  acquires 
the  properties  of  hard  wool :  the  greater  the  degree 
of  warmth  the  more  speedily  w^ill  this  effect  be  pro- 
duced. But  even  in  a  moderate  temperature, 
wool  w^hich  has  been  shorn  for  three  or  four 
years  will  neither  spin  nor  felt  so  well  as  that 
which  has  not  been  kept  above  one  year.  Even  a 
very  hot  and  dry  season  is  found  to  impede  the 
manufacturer,  and  to  lessen  the  value  of  cloths 
made  during  its  continuance. 

Lord  Somerville  agrees  with  Mr.  Bakewell,  in 
attributing  similar  effects  to  heat,  upon  the  grow- 
ing fleece,  particularly  soon  after  shearing.  Cold 
and  heavy  rain,  by  checking  the  natural  secre- 
tions, and  washing  off  the  yolk  to  a  certain  degree 
produce  the  same  effect :  and  for  these  reasons  the 
Swedes  and  Saxons  clothe  and  house  their  sheep 
in  winter,  and  drive  them  into  the  shade  of  trees, 
or  of  their  sheep  houses,  for  some  hours  in  the 
middle  of  the  day,  during  their  short  and  ardent 
summers.  Nor  is  it  improbable,  that  to  the  equal 
temperature  which  is  thereby  obtained,  any  good 
effect  which  may  result  from  the  Spanish  practice 
of  driving  their  sheep  in  spring  to  the  northern 
mountains,  and  in  iVil  to  the  southern  plains 
may  be  justly  attributed.  It  is  partly  to  remedy 
the  ill  effects  of  heat,  cold  and  wet,  that  the  far- 


as  Trie  Shepherds'  Guide. 

mers  of  Scotland,  and  the  northern  counties  of 
England,  have  from  time  immemorial  been  in 
the  practice  of  greasing  and  salving  their  sheep. 
But  they  have  done  this,  rather  with  a  view  to  the 
preservation  of  the  health  of  the  animals,  and  to 
free  them  from  the  troublesome  vermin  with 
which  they  are  infested  :  and  until  lately,  the  ef- 
fects on  the  wool  have  been  overlooked.  From 
V  which  circumstance,  the  ointment  has  been  so  un- 
skillully  composed  by  an  undue  mixture  of  tar, 
as  to  injure  the  colour  of  the  wool,  and  render  it 
very  difficult  to  clean  ;  so  as  to  render  it  unfit  for 
the  brighter  dyes,  or  for  cloths  intended  to  be 
finished  white.  But  of  late,  the  matter  is  better 
understood ;  and  the  most  intelligent  farmers  are 
convinced  that  it  adds  to  the  quantity  of  the  wool, 
and  renders  it  softer  and  finer,  at  the  same  time 
that  the  health  of  the  sheep  is  preserved. 

Of  the  superior  warmth  which  the  sheep  enjoy 
from  this  practice,  a  proof,  it  is  said,  may  be  seen 
on  a  winter  day,  when  the  fleeces  of  the  un- 
greased  sheep  will  frequently  be  found  whitened 
over  with  snow,  or  hoar  frost,  whilst  those  of  such 
as  have  been  greased,  remain  free  and  uncover- 
ed. To  these  facts  and  opinions  Lord  Somer- 
ville  gives  his  assent,  and  recommends  the  prac- 
tice, provided  a  substitute  can  be  found  for  the 
tar,  which  stains  the  wool  so  as  to  limit  its  use  to 
coloured  cloths. 

The  ointment  used  in  Northumberland  is  pre- 


The  Sfiepherds*  Guide,  S3 

pared  by  putting  20  pounds  of  butter  over  the 
fire,  and  when  melted,  to  add  one  gallon  of  tar, 
stirring  the  mixture  until  the  two  substances  are 
well  incorporated  into  a  soft  tenacious  ointment. 
But  so  great  a  quantity  of  tar  is  found  to  stain  the 
wool.  Mr.  Bake  well,  therefore,  proposes  to  add  a 
proportion  of  bees-wax  instead  of  it.  The  ex- 
pense of  this  may  be  lessened,  by  the  addition  of 
some  tallow  ;  which,  with  a  small  quantity  of  wax, 
will  give  to  the  ointment  all  the  tenacity  required. 
And  all  the  salutary  effects  of  the  tar,  as  a  remedy 
for  the  scab,  and  a  poison  to  the  tick  and  other 
insects,  may  be  procured  by  the  addition  of  one 
eighth  of  the  whole  of  spirits  of  turpentine. 

These  changes  are  particularly  necessary  when 
the  ointment  is  applied  to  Spanish  sheep  ;  which, 
although  they  abound  in  a  natural  yolk,  which 
renders  it  less  necessary,  still  receive  so  much  be- 
nefit from  it,  that  both  Lord  Somerville  and  Mr. 
Bakewell  recommend  it,  particularly  to  be  ap- 
plied immediately  after  shearing,  as  a  defence 
at  this  season  of  nakedness  against  the  ill  effects 
of  heat,  cold,  or  wet,  as  well  as  a  remedy  against 
the  tick.  At  this  time,  the  ointment  being  rather 
thin,  may  be  well  rubbed  all  over,  and  into  the 
fleece  :  but  in  the  fall,  when  the  wool  is  longer, 
more  pains  are  necessary. 

At  this  latter  season,  if  the  ointment  is  merely 
rubbed  on  the  wool,  it  collects  on  the  top  of  the 
staple,  attracts  and  mixes  with  the  soil,  and  par- 


34  The  Shepherds'  Guide* 

ticularly  if  there  is  any  tar  in  the  composition,  in- 
jures the  wool,  by  rendering  it  very  difficult  to 
cleanse.  The  proper  method  then,  is  to  divide  the 
wool  with  one  hand,  and  to  apply  the  ointment  t© 
the  skin  with  the  finger  of  the   other  ;  by  which 
means  it  is  kept  constantly  soft  by  the  warmth  of 
the  skin,  and  equally  diffused  through  the  fleece. 
Besides  the  fineness  of  the  pile,  and  softness  to 
the  feel,  wool,,  to  be  truly  good,  must  be  composed 
of  fibres  of  equal  strength  and  thickness  through- 
out their  whole  length.      Such  wools  as  are  de- 
fective in  this  property  are  termed  unsound,  and 
are  found  to  be  really  thinner,  as  if  jointed  in 
some  part  of  the  fibre  :  which  circumstance  great- 
ly lessens  the  value  to  the  manufacturer.      This 
fault  is  attributed  to  occasional  ill  health  in  the 
sheep  ;  to  exposure  to  heat,  wet  and  cold,  and  to 
irregularity  in  feeding :    being  suddenly  trans- 
fenced  from  very  poor,  to  very    rich  pasture  : 
from  starving,  to  abundance  of  food ;  and  vice 
versa,  the    remedy    is  to    keep   the  sheep  con- 
stantly in  good  store  order  :   their  fleeces  should 
be  covered  with  the  natural  yolk,  and  when  that 
is  deficient,  it  should  be  supplied  by  art.      The 
sheep  should  be  kc^pt  dry,  and  protected    after 
shearing  from  the  ill  eff'ccts  of  extreme  heat,  by 
the  application  of  a  soft  unguent. 

Wool  is  likewise  much  injured  by  the  capsules 
of  the  seeds  of  certain  plants ;  such  as  burdock, 
marsh  marygold,  &c.  which  are  furnished  with 


The  Shepherds'  Guide,  85 

small  hooks,  by  which  they  lay  hold  of,  and  entan- 
gle themselves  in  the  wool,  so  as  not  to  be  remov- 
ed without  much  pains  and  some  loss.  The  best 
remedy  against  this  evil  is  clean  pastures  ;  and 
any  person  who  keeps  a  flock  of  fine-woolled 
sheep,  will  find  he  will  be  well  paid  in  the  clean- 
ness of  his  wool,  for  the  expense  of  weeding  all 
such  plants  out  of  his  pastures. 


H 


34  The  Shepherds*  Guide* 

ticularly  if  there  is  any  tar  in  the  composition,  in- 
jures the  wool,  by  rendering  it  very  difficult  to 
cleanse.  The  proper  method  then,  is  to  divide  the 
wool  with  one  hand,  and  to  apply  the  ointment  tQ 
the  skin  with  the  finger  of  the   other  ;  by  which 
means  it  is  kept  constantly  soft  by  the  warmth  of 
the  skin,  and  equally  diffused  through  the  fleece. 
Besides  the  fineness  of  the  pile,  and  softness  to 
the  feel,  wool,  to  be  truly  good,  must  be  composed 
of  fibres  of  equal  strength  and  thickness  through- 
cut  their  whole  length.      Such  wools  as  are  de- 
fective in  this  property  are  termed  unsound,  and 
are  found  to  be  really  thinner,  as  if  jointed  in 
some  part  of  the  fibre  :  which  circumstance  great- 
ly lessens  the  value  to  the  manufacturer.      This 
fault  is  attributed  to  occasional  ill  health  in  the 
sheep  ;  to  exposure  to  heat,  wet  and  cold,  and  to 
irregularity  in  feeding :    being  suddenly  trans- 
fenced  from  very  poor,  to  very    rich  pasture  : 
from  starving,  to  abundance  of  food ;   and  vice 
versa,  the    remedy    is  to    keep    the  sheep  con- 
stantly in  good  store  order  :   their  fleeces  should 
be  covered  with  the  natural  yolk,  and  when  that 
is  deficient,   it  should  be  supplied  by  art.      The 
sheep  should  be  k-pt  dry,  and  protected    after 
shearing  from  the  ill  effects  of  extreme  heat,  by 
the  application  of  a  soft  unguent. 

Wool  is  likewise  much  injured  by  the  capsules 
of  the  seeds  of  certain  plants ;  such  as  burdock, 
marsh  marygold,  &c.  which  are  furnished  with 


The  Shepherds'  Guide,  85 

small  hooks,  by  which  they  lay  hold  of,  and  entan- 
gle themselves  in  the  wool,  so  as  not  to  be  remov- 
ed without  much  pains  and  some  loss.  The  best 
remedy  against  this  evil  is  clean  pastures  ;  and 
any  person  who  keeps  a  flock  of  fine-woolled 
sheep,  will  find  he  will  be  well  paid  in  the  clean- 
ness of  his  wool,  for  the  expense  of  weeding  all 
such  plants  out  of  his  pastures. 


H 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Wounds— Imposthumations-Ulcers  and  fractures 
— Hunger — ^Lax — Finding  in  lambs — Diar- 
rhoea— Dysenter}^ — Braxy — Rot — Scab — Ery- 
sipelas— Vermin — Hove — Foot  rot — Sturdy 
— Staggers — Claveau  or  sheep  pox. 

Diseases  of  Sheep, 

\J  F  the  most  simple  complaints,  such  as  wounds, 
bruises,  and  fractures,  a  healthy  sheep  so  soon 
recovers,  that  farmers  are  too  apt  to  neglect  them 
altogether  :  but  by  so  doing,  a  simple  wound  may 
degenerate  into  an  ulcer,  a  bruise  may  imposthu- 
mate  ;  and  although  a  broken  bone  will  knit,  the 
animal  suffers  great  pain,  and  will  probably  have 
a  crooked  limb  ever  after. 

With  regard  to  fresh  wounds,  so  much  care  on- 
Iv  is  necessary  after  cutting  the  wool  from  the 
edges,  as  to  clear  them  from  dirt,  and  any  other 
foreign  substance ;  to  bring  the  edges  together 
and  keep  them  so  by  a  bandage  where  that  can 
be  applied,  or  by  a  strong  sticking  plaster,  which 
may  be  made  of  shoemaker's  wax  ;  or  when  the 
wound  is  very  large,  by  a  stitch  or  two  taken  deep 
into  the  flesh,  which  can  be  made  only  with  a  sur- 
geon's crooked  needle.  It  should  then  be  covered 
by  a  plaster  made  of  equal  parts  ot  black  pitch  and 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  87 

bees-wax,  with  double  the  quantity  of  mutton 
suet,  merely  to  defend  it  from  injury  j  and  in  the 
summer  season,  from  the  access  of  flies. 

A  bruise  should  be  washed  with  hot  vinegar, 
with  the  addition  of  a  little  spirit  of  turpentine  ; 
which  should  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  a 
day,  until  the  swelling  and  pain  subside, 

A  fracture  should  be  bound  up  neatly,  with  one 
or  two  splints,  covered  with  tow ;  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  fill  up  the  hollows  of  the  limb,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  hard  wood  pressing  on  the  tender  part. 
In  doing  this,  no  other  care  is  necessary  than  to 
keep  the  broken  ends  of  the  bone  opposite  to  each 
other,  and  not  to  apply  the  bandage  too  tight, 
which  it  always  is,  if  the  limb  swells  in  a  conside- 
rable degree. 

Imposthumations  should  be  opened,  as  soon  as 
they  grow  soft ;  and  as  well  as  ulcers,  should  be 
kept  clean  by  washing  with  warm  soap  suds,  and 
covered  with  a  pledget  of  tow,  spread  with  an  oint- 
ment made  of  equal  parts  tar,  mutton  suet  and 
hog's  lard  ;  with  the  addition  of  a  little  wax,  in  the 
summer  season.  When  the  bottom  of  an  impos- 
thumation  looks  pale,  or  of  an  ash  colour  ;  when 
it  discharges  a  glary  matter,  and  particularly  if 
the  matter  is  offensive,  it  has  become  in  some 
measure  an  ulcer,  and  should  be  treated  as  such. 
After  washing  it  with  soap  suds,  and  drying  it 
well,  cover  the  bottom  and  edges  with  lint,  which 
has  been  soaked  in  a  solution  of  Roman  vitriol, 


S8  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

(blue  stone)  or  the  surface  of  the  ulcer  may  be 
Tubbed  with  the  vitriol  itself,  and  then  covered 
with  dry  lint,  and  a  pledget  of  tow,  spread  with  the 
above  tar  ointment.  This  mode  of  dressing  must 
be  continued  daily,  until  the  ulcer  assumes  a  flo- 
rid red  colour,  and  discharges  a  white,  or  yellow- 
ish matter,  which  is  no  longer  offensive.  After 
which^  it  is  only  necessary  to  keep  it  clean,  and  to 
dress  it  simply  with  the  tar  ointment. 

We  frequently  hear  farmers  complain  of  being 
unlucky  with  their  lambs  :  they  have  lost  a  great 
number.  But  in  this  case,  as  in  too  many  others, 
misfortune  generally  originates  in  misconduct ; 
and  nine  times  out  of  ten,  if  a  farmer  does  not 
raise  as  many,  or  very  nearly  as  many  lambs  a$ 
he  has  ewes  that  lamb,  we  may  conclude  his 
ewes  have  not  been  well  fed,  or  his  tender  lambs 
have  been  exposed  to  the  severities  of  cold  and 
wet^  without  shelter  and. without  litter  :  although 
a  very  tender,  a  lamb  is  really  a  very  healthy  aru- 
mal,  and  if  well  fed  and  well  sheltered,  is  seldom 
lost. 

A  lamb  perishing  from  hunger  appears  hollow 
at  the  flanks  ;  has  a  weak  and  mourntul  cry  ;  is  apt 
to  follow  any  sheep  that  comes  near  it ;  and  is 
either  neglected  by  its  dam,  or  if  it  attempts  to 
suck  h(ir,  she  sprmgs  forward  and  w411  not  suffer 
it  to  take  the  teat.  As  soon  as  these  circum- 
stances are  discovered,  the  ewe  and  lamb  should 
be  confined  ;  the  teats  of  the  ewe  should  be  exam- 


The  Shepherds^  Guide,  89 

ined,  and  if  her  nipples  are  found  to  be  sore,  they 
should  be  anointed  with  a  soft  cerate,  made  by 
melting  a  little  bees-wax  with  twice  the  weight 
of  hog's  lard,  or  fresh  butter :  or  if  the  ewe  has 
little  or  no  milk,  she  should  be  supplied  with  plen- 
ty of  nutritious  and  succulent  food,  such  as  roots, 
wheat-bran,  or  shorts  and  water,  ground  oats,  or 
Indian  meal  mixed  with  water :  and  whilst  by 
these  means  we  are  attending  to  the  ewe,  and  en- 
deavouring to  increase  her  milk,  the  lamb  must 
be  supported  by  the  milk  of  another  ewe,  or 
that  of  a  fresh  cow.  It  is  a  general,  and  I  btlieve 
a  well  founded  opinion,  that  the  milk  of  a  farrow 
cow,  or  one  that  has  calved  long  before,  is  injuri- 
ous to  lambs  and  will  destroy  them. 

Lambs,  whilst  very  young,  are  particularly  ex- 
posed to  two  complaints,  a  purging,  which  will 
be  relieved  by  a  tea  spoon  full  or  two  of  fine  chalk, 
and  as  much  gin,  mixed  with  a  little  milk,  given 
twice  a  day  :  to  which,  if  the  disease  proves  ob- 
stinate, add  one,  two,  or  three  drops  of  laudanum, 
according  to  the  age  of  the  lamb  :  again,  when  the 
ewes  are  first  put  to  grass,  lambs  are  apt  to  be 
attacked  with  a  purging,  which,  however,  seldom 
lasts  above  a  day  or  two,  and  then  subsides ;  leav- 
ing them  in  better  health  than  it  found  them.  If, 
however,  it  should  continue  longer,  and  the  lamb 
should  appear  to  fail  under  it,  it  will  be  relieved 
by  the  same  chalk  mixture. 

The  disease  called  Pind'mg-  in  lambs  is  the  ef- 
H  2 


^0  The  Shepherds^  Guide* 

feet  of  a  purging  with  viscid  excrements,  hy 
,which  the  tail  becomes  so  glued  to  the  buttocks 
as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  excrement.  It  is 
the  fault  of  the  shepherd  if  it  ever  amounts  to  a 
disease,  because  a  very  little  attention  v^WX  pre- 
vent it.  As  soon  as  anv  tendency  to  it  is  discover- 
ed, let  the  parts  be  well  cleaned,  and  then  rubbed 
with  a  little  powdered  clay  cr  chalk. 

Scouring\  Old  sheep,  when  first  put  to  grass^ 
especially  on  moist  pastures,  which  have  been 
flooded  during  the  winter,  are  very  apt  to  be  at- 
tacked with  diarrhoea.  The  best  preventive  of 
this  complaint  is  to  put  them  from  dry  food,  upon 
a  piece  of  rowen,  which  has  been  shut  up  from  the 
first  months  of  the  preceding  fall ;  where  they  will 
find  a  mixture  of  dry  and  new  grass,  which  will 
prevent  the  consequence  of  too  sudden  a  change. 
Wher€  this  has  not  been  provided,  they  should  be 
brought  up  once  a- day,  and  given  a  little  ha)^  or 
grain.  Where,  notwithstanding  the  disease 
©omes  on,  it  is  generally  of  little  consequence  ;  or 
when  obstinate,  may  be  relieved  by  the  chalk 
mixture,  increasing  the  dose  to  a  table  spoon  full 
of  chalk  and  of  spirits,  and  five  or  six  drops  of 
laudanum  :  and  if  this  should  prove  ineffectual, 
boil  four  ounces  of  chipped  logwood,  in  three 
pints  of  water,  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  give 
the  chalk  mixture,  each  time  in  a  gill  of  this  de- 
coction. 

Sometimes  we  are  informed  that  sheep  are  at- 


The  Shepherds' Guide,  91 

tacked  with  a  true  Dysentery^  which  is  distin- 
guished trom  a  simple  lax  or  diarrhcea.  by  mu- 
cous and  bloody  discharges,  mixed  wiih  lumps  of 
hardened  excrement  ;  by  frequent  urging  and 
straining  to  stool,  with  small  evacuations ;  and  is 
accompanied  with  pam,  a  greater  degree  of  sick- 
ness, dejection  and  fever,  manifested  by  a  hot 
skin,  ears  and  mouth.  It  occurs  most  frequently  in 
midsummer,  and  towards  the  fall  of  the  year, 
and  is  said  to  be  infectious.  In  this  case,  begin 
by  purging  the  sheep  with  an  ounce  of  glauber 
salts,  dissolved  in  warm  water  :  or  rather  in  vio- 
lent cases,  by  bleeding  (which  is  best  performed 
after  shaving  off  the  wool,  in  the  jugular  vein,  as 
is  done  in  horses  and  neat  cattle.  After  swelling 
the  vein  by  a  bandage,  open  it  with  a  common 
lancet ;  and  after  drawing  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
blood,  which  from  a  full  grown  sheep  should  be 
towards  a  pint :  the  blood  is  stopped,  and  the  vein 
secured  by  a  pin  and  hair,  or  thread,  as  is  done  in 
the  larger  animals)  then  give  the  salts  ;  and  hav- 
ing procured  a  free  and  open  state  of  the  bowels, 
give  the  chalk  mixture  ;  interposing  occasionallv, 
as  long  as  the  pain,  fever,  and  bloody  evacuations 
continue  a  dose  of  salts,  or  what  I  have  frequent- 
ly found  a  mild  and  gentle  evacuant  for  sheep, 
give  a  large  talile  spoon  full  of  molasses,  mixed 
with  one  or  two  of  yeast  or  emptyings.  This  re- 
medy is  particularly  adapted  to  dysentery^,  which 
is  frequently  a  putrid  disease,  and  may  be  freely 


92  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

used,  as  long  as  the  pain,  fever  and  bloody  eva- 
cuations continue  ;  after  which,  the  chalk  mix- 
ture, and  decoction  of  logwood  and  laudanum,  will 
do  all  that  can  be  done  towards  a  cure  under  si 
complaint  of  this  nature.  Sheep,  ill  of  this  dis- 
ease, should  not  be  allowed  to  drink  too  freely  of 
very  cold  water  ;  instead  of  which,  a  pint  of  thin 
gruel,  made  of  bu'  kwheat,  oat  or  Indian  meal, 
and  sweetened  with  molasses,  given  two  or  three 
times  a  day,  will  at  once  supply  the  place  of  ne- 
cessary drink  and  proper  food. 

Braxy,  Sir  George  M'Kinsey,  describes  dy- 
sentery and  braxy  as  the  same  disease.  But  Dr. 
Duncan  describes  another  disease  under  the 
name  of  braxy,  which  appears  to  be  a  violent 
inflammation  of  the  bowels,  unaccompanied  with 
d3^senteric  symptoms.  In  both,  the  remedies,  es- 
pecially in  the  first  stage,  are  much  the  same : 
bleeding,  purging  and  a  cooling  diet :  with  this 
difference  ;  that  in  the  dysentery,  bleeding  is  sel- 
dom necessary  moie  than  once  in  the  very  be- 
ginning of  the  disease  :  in  the  inflammation  of  the 
bowels,  it  is  the  only  remedy  to  be  depended  on, 
and  must  be  repeated  at  short  intervals,  as  long  as 
the  violence  of  the  symptoms  continues. 

Of  the  Rot  we  know  but  little.  Some  of  the 
Spanish  sheep  imported  last  fall  brought  it  with 
them  ;  as  was  proved  by  the  fluke  insect  found 
in  and  on  their  livers.  This  disease  is  almost  cer- 
tainly fatal  J  but  it  is  not  infectious,  and  as  from 


The  Shepherds'  Guide,  93 

the  happy  effects  of  our  climate  and  pastures  we 
have  heretofore  been  free  from  it,  we  may  hope 
again  to  get  rid  of  it.  It  is  said  to  be  brought  on 
by  sheep  feeding  on  cold  wet  soils,  and  particular- 
ly flooded  grass  ;  to  be  prevented,  and  now  and 
then  cured  by  sound  pastures,  dry  food,  grain, 
and  some  cordials,  such  as  porter  and  milk  punch. 
The  poke,  a  watery  swelling  under  the  throat,  is 
a  symptom  of  the  last  stage  of  the  rot,  and  follows 
the  course  of  that  disease. 

The  Scab  is  another  disease,  of  which,  compa- 
red with  our  present  experience,  we  may  be  said 
heretofore  to  have  known  but  little.  It  is  mani- 
fested by  the  infected  sheep  rubbing  itself  against 
posts  and  trees,  and  biting  its  skin,  to  allay  the 
itching  ;  the  wool  loosens  from  the  infected  part, 
hangs  out  from  the  fleece,  and  the  skin  beneath 
is  found  to  have  a  red  fretted  appearance,  is  rough 
and  scabby.  It  very  much  resembles  the  itch  in 
the  human  body,  is  equally  infectious,  and  is 
cured  by  the  same  remedies.  It  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  that  falling  off  of  the  fleece  in  large 
parcels,  which  is  frequendy  seen  among  our  poor 
sheep  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  soon  after  they  be- 
gin to  get  plenty  of  food  ;  as  well  as  from  another 
disease  which  we  have  seen  among  the  Spanish 
sheep  lately  imported,  with  ragged  fleeces,  and 
hides  almost  bare.  I  have  seen  many  such,  which 
hxl  not  the  scab,  and  which,  I  believe  had  swfftr- 
ed  in  consequence  of  heat,  confinement  and  fe- 


94  The  Shepherds'  Gv'ide. 

ver:  changing  the  natural  secretion  of  the  skin 
from  a  so  it  greasy  yolk,  to  a  dry  filthy  scurt,  in- 
juring the  wool,  and  still  further,  obstructing  the 
perspiration  until  the  anim.il,  especially  in  the 
winter  season,  becomes  dangerously  diseased. 

It  is  safest,  however,  not  to  neglect  either  of 
these  cases  ;  and  where  there  exists  the  slightest 
suspicion  of  scab,  to  treat  k  as  such,  lest  it 
spread  into  the  flock,  to  our  great  annoyance,  and 
we  pay  severely  for  a  very  trifling  neglect.  And 
it  fortunately  happens,  that  the  remedy  recom- 
mended by  Mons  Daubenton,  for  the  scab, 
which  is  composed  of  oil  of  turpentine,  mixed 
with  four  or  six  times  its  weight  of  train  oil  or 
hog's  lard,  is  healthy  for  the  sheep,  and  beneficial 
to  the  wool,  as  likely  as  any  other  to  dissolve 
the  hardened  yolk  ;  and  by  its  kindly  warmth  pro- 
mote a  more  healthy  secretion  from  the  skin. 
The  afl'ected  part  being  first  freed  from  the  wool, 
and  scratched  with  the  finger  until  the  scab  is  re- 
moved, is  to  be  Vv^eli  rubbed  with  this  ointment. 
This  being  repeated  once  or  twice  in  the  course  of 
a  week,  will  always  palliate  the  symptoms,  and 
may  cure  slighter  cases  of  scab.  But  in  the  more 
severe  cases,  such  as  v/e  have  lately  seen,  I 
ki^ow,  from  undoubted  experience,  that  it  will  not 
cure  the  scab  in  the  winter  season.  Although, 
thereiore,  I  would  always  recommend  it  during 
winter  as  a  p:\lliative,  it  is  not  to  be  depended 
on  lor  the  perfect  cure  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  spring 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  95 

advances,  so  as  to  render  them  safe,  more  effect- 
ual remedies  must  be  resorted  to. 

In  such  cases,  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  weather 
will  permit,  let  the  wool  be  shorn  off,  and*  the 
whole  body  of  the  animal  be  thoroughly  cleansed, 
(especially  all  the  parts  infected)  by  scrubbing 
with  a  brush  and  warm  soap  suds,  in  every  gal- 
Ion  of  which,  about  four  ounces  of  the  fresh  roots 
of  white  hellebore  or  sharp-pointed  dock,  or  two 
ounces  of  dried  tobacco  stalks  have  been  previ- 
ously boiled.  The  wool  being  suffered  to  dry, 
every  infected  part  is  to  be  well  anointed  with  the 
following  ointment. 

Take  corrosive  sublimate,  four  ounces ; 
hog's  lard,  ten  pounds  ; 
mutton  suet  and 
rosin,  of  each,  one  pound. 

Dissolve  the  corrosive  sublimate  in  strong  spi- 
rits, by  rubbing  them  together  in  a  glass  mortar, 
pouring  off  the  solution,  then  adding  more  spirits, 
until  the  whole  is  dissolved  ;  then  having  melted 
the  lard,  suet,  and  rosin  together,  suffer  them  to 
cool,  until  they  begin  to  thicken  at  the  sides  of  the 
vessel,  and  add  the  solution  of  the  sublimate  gra- 
dually to  them,  stirring  the  whole  continuallv  un- 
til cold,  so  as  to  blend  them  very  uniformly  to- 
gether. Where  rosin  cannot  be  procured,  bees- 
wax may  supply  its  place ;  the  use  of  either,  as 
well  as  of  the  suet,  is  to  give  consistence  and  tena- 
city to  the  ointment  in  hot  weather. 


96  The  Shepherds*  Guide. 

This  ointment  combines  all  the  advantages  of 
Sir  Joseph  Banks's  more  expensive  mercurial 
ointment,  and  is  rather  easier  to  make  than  that 
of  Sir  George  M'Kinsey.  Either  will  effectual- 
ly cure  the  scab,  and  seldom  require  to  be  repeat- 
ed above  twice  or  three  times  :  once  will  often 
answer.  But  the  scrubbing  and  washing  with 
the  soap  suds,  made  of  the  decoction,  of  white 
hellebore,  dock  root,  or  tobacco,  is  essential  to 
the  success  of  either.  Of  these,  the  hellebore, 
where  it  can  readily  be  procured,  is  the  cheapest 
and  most  effectual  j  and  made  use  of  with  the 
following  cheaper  ointment,  as  below  directed^ 
will  commonly  do  all  we  wish. 

Boil  twenty  pounds  of  the  roots  of  white  helle- 
bore in  half  a  hogshead  of  water,  and  having 
shorn  the  sheep,  wash  them  and  scrub  them  with 
a  brush  thoroughly  with  this  decoction,  whilst 
they  stand  in  a  tub  ;  then  squeeze  out  the  wool 
and  turn  them  out.  As  soon  as  they  are  dry, 
anoint  them  universally  with  a  mixture  of  tar  and 
hog's  fat,  in  the  proportion  of  one  gallon  of  tar  to 
20  lbs.  of  hog's  fat.  This  is  a  most  excellent 
practice  ;  protects  the  sheep  from  cold  and  wet 
after  shearing  ;  contributes  to  the  growth  and  the 
softness  of  the  wool,  frees  them  from  vermin,  and 
contributes  to  their  general  health. 

During  the  summer  season,  and  indeed  at  all 
times,  the  flock  should  be  occasionally  examined, 
and  the  slightest  appearance  of  scab  attended  to : 


The  Shepherds*  Guide,  97 

and  wherever  the  wool  appears  to  loosen,  let  it 
be  taken  away  :  let  the  part  be  washed  with  the 
decoction  of  hellebore,  dock  root  or  tobacco,  and 
anointed  with  the  ointment,  with  corrosive  sub- 
limate. 

Red  Water  and  Erifstpelas  are  eruptive  and 
inflammatory  diseases  of  the  skin,  attended  with 
heat  and  fever.  They  probably  are  the  same  dis- 
ease under  different  forms,  and  are  cured  by  cool- 
ing purgative  medicines,  such  as  flowers  of  brim- 
stone, mixed  with  molasses,  in  the  proportion  of 
two  ounces  of  the  flowers  of  brimstone  to  four  large 
spoons  full  of  molasses :  to  which,  if  the  disease  is 
violent,  add  half  an  ounce  of  salt-petre.  This  will 
make  eight  doses,  to  be  given  in  half  a  pint  of 
warm  water,  night  and  morning,  so  as  to  occa- 
sion a  moderate  purging,  and  is  to  be  occasion- 
ally repeated  as  long  as  the  disease  continues. 

Vermin.  Sheep  are  infested  with  several  kinds  of 
vermin:  the  common  tick,  maggots,  &c.  The  lean 
and  young  sheep  are  most  exposed  to  these  com- 
plaints. Smearing,  as  recommended  on  the  sub- 
ject of  wool,  is  the  best  preventive  ;  and  washing 
with  decoctions  of  sharp-pointed  dock,  tobacco,  or 
white  hellebore,  (itch  root)  which  is  best  done 
immediately  after  shearing,  is  generally  fatal  to 
them.  Maggots  are  the  consequence  of  fly-blows 
upon  wounds.  They  are  avoided  by  dressing  with 
tar  ointment,  and  removed,  by  washing  the  part 
with  either  of  the  above  decoctions.      Indeed, 

I 


98  The  S/i eph  erds'  Guide. 

cleanliness  and  moderate  attention  will  prevent 
most  of  these  complaints. 

Hove,  Sheep,  as  well  as  cows  and  oxen,  are 
apt  to  be  hoved,  as  the  farmers  call  it,  upon  being 
put  on  moist  succulent  grass,  particularly  red 
clover.  In  this  complaint  the  new  grass  floats  upon 
the  contents  of  the  first  stomach,  so  as  absolutely 
to  close  the  upper  orifice.  Fermentation  soon 
begins,  and  a  great  quantity  of  air  is  extricated, 
which  being  pent  up,  swells  the  animal  to  a  great 
size,  particularly  on  the  left  side,  just  forward  of, 
and  below  the  hip,  where  the  paunch  in  ruminant 
animals  is  attached  to  the  integuments. 

Several  remedies  are  prescribed  for  this  com- 
plaint ;  all  of  which  tend  eidier  to  absorb  or  give 
vent  to  the  confined  air.  But  such  only  as  let  out 
the  air  are  to  be  depended  on.  To  this  end,  we 
are  directed  to  drive  the  animal  about ;  to  throw  it 
suddenly  into  water  ;  to  plunge  a  pointed  knife 
into  the  paunch  just  below  the  hip,  or  to  break  the 
cake  of  grass,  which  prevents  the  escape  of  the 
L\ir,  by  thrusting  down  the  throat,  quite  into  the 
stomach,  a  flexible  rod,  which  may  be  made  of  a 
piece  of  grape  vine,  on  the  end  of  which  is  a  small 
knob,  which  being  covered  with  leather,  and  well 
greased,  may  be  used  without  any  apprehension 
of  danger  :  it  no  sooner  reaches  the  stomach  than 
the  air  pours  out  abundantly,  and  the  animal  is 
entirely  relieved.  It  is  therefore  to  be  preferred  to 
any    other  less  efficacious,  or  niore  hazardous 


The  Shepherds^  Guide.  99 

remedv.  This  complainc  will  sometimes  kill  an 
animal  in  a  lew  hours  ;  no  time,  therefore,  should 
be  lost  in  trifling  attempts  ;  nor  should  the  animal 
be  left  until  perfectly  relieved. 

Foot  Rot.  This  is  one  of  the  diseases  of  sheep, 
with  which,  I  believe,  we  were  totally  unacquaint- 
ed, until  it  was  brought  to  us,  among  the  sheep 
imported  last  fall ;  but  as  it  has  since  occurred  in 
two  flocks  of  some  of  those  sheep  in  my  neigh- 
bourhood, besides  my  own,  it  cannot  be  doubted 
but  that  it  has  already,  and  probably  will  in  future, 
appear  in  many  others.  It  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
fectious diseases  of  sheep  ;  and  although  when 
early  attended  to,  neither  dangerous  riot  diflicult 
of  cure,  yet  when  neglected  in  the  beginning,  be- 
comes so  in  a  great  degree,  and  spreads  with 
great  rapidity  through  a  flock. 

Its  first,  and  most  evident  symptom  is  lameness. 
Wherever  therefore,  there  is  the  least  reason  to 
suspect  it,  every  instance  of  lameness,  as  soon  as  it 
occurs,  shoiild  be  carefully  examined. 

In  the  first  stage,  and  mildest  species  of  the  dis- 
ease, the  animal  appears  no  otherwise  indisposed 
than  as  it  is  a  little  lame.  On  examining  the  foot, 
a  slight  redness  appears  round  the  hoof,  at  its 
junction  with  the  skin  ;  whence,  or  from  the  skin, 
between  the  hoofs,  a  small  quantity  of  offensive 
matter  oozes,  and  the  foot  itself,  feels  somewhat 
heated  j   but  no  other  symptom  of  fever  occurs. 

In  the  second  stage  or  species,  the  disease  is 


1 00  The  S^iepherds'  Guide. 

deeper  seated,  under  and  within  the  horn  of  the 
hoof;  the  animal  appears  to  be  in  more  pain,  the 
lameness  is  greater,  the  foot  is  much  hotter,  the 
animal  is  dull,  loses  its  appetite,  and  is  manifestly 
feverish  ;  and  frequently  so  lame  as  to  feed  on  its 
knees.  This  stage  is  frequently, though  not  always 
in  its  commencement,  accompanied  by  a  manifest 
ulceration  in  the  division  of  the  hoofs,  or  at  the 
junction  of  the  horn  to  the  leg ;  and  the  matter  dis- 
charged is  very  offensive. 

In  the  last  stage,  which  is  generally  the  conse- 
quence of  neglect,  imposthumations  are  formed 
within  the  hoof ;  the  bones  are  attacked  and  be- 
come carious  ;  the  discharge  is  abominably  offen- 
sive, fever,  and  every  symptom  of  general  dis- 
ease are  greatly  aggravated. 

Fine-woolled  sheep  are  said  to  be  most  subject 
to  this  complaint.  It  is  attributed  to  moist  pastures, 
to  cold  dews,  in  the  fall  of  the  year  j  frequently  at- 
tacks sheep  after  long  journeys,  is  very  infectious ; 
and  unless  great  care  is  taken,  by  separating  the 
diseased  immediately  from  the  healthy,  spreads 
rapidly  through  a  flock.  As  this  disease  is  un- 
doubtedly very  infectious,  sound  animals  must  be 
immediately  taken  to  uninfected  pastures,  nor 
suffered  to  return  to  the  fields  on  which  the  dis- 
ease has  appeared,  until  they  have  been  cleansed 
by  frequent  rains  ;  and  in  winter,  separate  folds 
must  be  provided  for  the  infected  and  the  healthy. 

Cure.     As  soon   as  the  disease  is  ascertain- 


The  Shepherds*  Guide.  101 

ed,  examine  carefully  whether  it  exists  within 
the  hoof.  This  is  discovered  by  pressing  the 
hoof  all  round,  below  and  above ;  from  which, 
if  the  animal  winces,  and  discovers  pain,  we  may 
conclude  that  beneath^  the  foot  is  diseased  :  and 
the  first  measure  to  be  taken  is,  by  carefully 
paring  away  that  part  of  the  hoof,  to  afford  a 
discharge  to  the  confined  matter.  This  will  be 
much  facilitated  by  dipping  the  foot  repeatedly 
into  water,  as  hot  as  can  be  borne  without  scald- 
ing :  and  from  time  to  time,  carefully  paring  the 
hoof  with  a  sharp  knife,  until  it  is  perforated 
so  as  to  let  out  any  matter  which  lies  beneath. 
This  partial  scalding  contributes  likewise  to  the 
cure  of  the  milder  species  of  the  disease,  which 
exists  only  at  the  edges,  or  between  the  hoofs : 
and  even  when  the  inflammation  has  commenced 
beneath,  it  will  frequently  check  it,  and  prevent 
the  formation  of  matter. 

In  the  next  'place,  let  the  foot  be  carefully 
cleansed  from  all  offensive  matter,  wiped  perfectly 
dry,  and  the  surface  of  the  ulcer  destroyed  by 
washing  the  part  in  the  milder  complaint  with 
a  strong  solution  of  sugar  of  lead  in  vinegar,  or 
a  strong  solution  of  white  vitriol.  Where  the  dis- 
ease is  more  malignant,  or  has  made  greater  pro- 
gress, more  caustic  applications  are  necessary  ; 
such  as  the  ley  of  wood  ashes,  which  has  been 
rendered  caustic  by  slacking  in  it  quick  lime 
a  strong  solution  of  Roman  vitriol,  or  a  mixture 

I  2 


102  The  Shepherds*  tjuic/c* 

of  oil  of  vitriol,  diluted  with  twice  its  weight  of 
water ;  or  what  perhaps  is  better,  with  the  same 
quantity  of  sweet  oil,  or  train  oil.  These  should 
be  put  on  with  a  feather,  the  part  covered  with  a 
pledget  spread  with  tar  ointment,  Gowlard's  ce- 
rate, or  mercurial  ointment ;  the  whole  kept  on  by  a 
linen  cloth  and  moderate  bandage.  After  this,  the 
animal  is  to  be  kept  quiet  for  some  days,  during 
which  the  foot  is  to  be  daily  dressed  in  the  same 
way,  until  the  sore  appears  clean  and  sweet,  and 
then  only  with  the  ointment  until  it  is  healed  :  of 
which  we  must  be  v.-ell  assured  before  we  turn  the 
sheep  back  again  to  the  flock. 

Sturdy,  It  is  supposed  we  have  this  disease, 
occasionally  among  us,  though  I  believe  it  never 
has  been  proved  by  actual  dissection.  A  sheep 
attacked  v.'ith  it  ceases  to  improve,  becomes  dull, 
and  separates  from  the  flock,  its  sight  appears  to 
be  impaired  and  indistinct  ,*  the  eyes  glare,  the 
animal  sometimes  becomes  blind,  starts  at  any 
noise,  runs  furious  without  aim,  loses  the  power 
of  standing,  and  is  perfectly  emaciated. 

The  cause,  discovered  by  dissection,  is  found  to 
be  a  collection  of  water  :  in  the  milder  species  of 
the  disease,  in  a  bladder  on  the  top  of  the  brain, 
near  the  skull ;  over  which  the  skull  is  found  to 
be  remarkably  soft,  so  as  to  yield  to  the  pressure 
of  the  finger.  In  the  more  fatal  species,  the  water 
is  collected  in  the  natural  cavities,  or  in  the  sub- 
^tnnce  of  the  brain  itself.     The  only  cure  is  to  let 


The  Shepherds^  Guide,  103 

out  the  water,  either  by  puncturing  the  sack, 
through  the  soft  part  of  the  skull  with  an  awl ;  by 
opening  the  skull,  as  in  the  operationof  trepanning, 
and  taking  out  the  suck  ;  or  by  what  is  averred  to 
be  the  safest  and  most  certain,  though  unquestion- 
ably a  very  singular  remedy,  by  passing  a  stiff 
pointed  wire  up  each  nostril,  through  the  base  of 
the  skull  and  the  whole  substance  of  the  brain,  un- 
til it  can  be  felt  by  the  finger,  over  the  soft  part,  on 
the  top  of  the  skull.  After  which,  although  the 
sheep  should  lie  as  dead  for  many  hours,  it  is 
said  frequently  to  recover.  It  cannot  be,  but  that 
an  operation  of  this  nature,  in  which  the  whole 
substance  of  the  brain  is  perforated,  must  fre- 
quently prove  fatal.  But  as  the  disease  for 
v/hich  it  is  recommended  is  of  itself  necessarily 
fatal,  unless  relieved  in  some  such  way,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  ascertain  the  disease  to  justify  the 
attempt.  Where,  however,  the  soft  part  of  the 
skull  can  be  discovered,  the  operation  of  trepan- 
ning  is  more  safe,  but  requires  more  skill ;  and 
where  no  such  part  on  the  skull  can  be  discover- 
ed, it  can  be  of  use  only  by  chance. 

Giddiness^  Staggers,  Another  disease,  under 
these  appellations,  is  described  by  many  writers, 
which,  in  its  symptoms,  very  much  resembles 
sturdy,  but  which  arises  from  a  very  diff(-nr:nt 
cause,  and  yields  to  different  remedies.  This  I 
suspect  to  be  the  disease  described  by  Professor 
Daubenton,  under  the  name  of,  and  attributed  by 


t04  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

him  and  Mr.  Mills  to  the  eftects  of  heat ;  and  by 
Chancellor  Livingston  and  many  others  under 
thai  of  staggers  or  dizziness.  It  is  by  all  the  wri- 
ters I  have  seen,  except  Chancellor  Livingston, 
attributed  with  great  probability,  to  plethoric  ful- 
ness of  blood ;  which,  although  it  may  occur  at  any 
season,  is  most  likely  to  produce  its  effects  in  hot 
weather,  and  yields  to  bleeding,  and  other  eva- 
cuations. What  induces  me  to  suppose  the  disease 
so  accurately  described  by  Chancellor  Livingston 
to  be  this  disease,  more  than  sturdy  is,  that  his 
cases  yielded  simply  to  patience  and  attention  ; 
which  are  much  more  likely  to  cure  a  disease 
arising  from  plethora,  and  a  partial  determination 
of  blood  to  the  head,  than  one  which  like  sturdy 
is  proved  to  arise  from  w^ater,  confined  in  a  mem- 
braneous cist :  which  we  know  from  what  occurs  in 
the  human  body  to  be  a  class  of  diseases  seldom, 
I  believe  I  may  say  never  cured,  but  by  eva- 
cuating the  water  and  destroying  the  cist.  If 
these  sentiments  are  just,  it  becomes  of  conse- 
quence to  distinguish  these  diseases  from  each 
other  by  some  decided  mark.  I  confess  I  cannot 
do  this  from  experience,  never  having  ascertained 
the  disease  called  sturdy  by  dissection  ;  although 
I  have  in  several  instances  met  with  that  called 
staggers  ;  some  of  which  proved  fatal,  others 
were  cured,  as  in  the  case  of  Chancellor  Livings- 
ton, by  lime  and  patience.  But,  arguing  theoreti- 
eally,  Irom  the  nature  of  the  causes,  I  should  su|3- 


The  Shepherds*  Guidt,  105 

pose  the  staggers  to  attack  suddenly,  the  sturdy 
to  come  on  more  gradually  :  convulsions,  other  vi- 
olent symptoms  and  sudden  death,  more  frequently 
to  occur  in  staggers,  than  in  sturdy.  The  only 
decisive  mark  is  the  softness  on  the  top  of  the 
skull,  which  is  described  in  sturdy,  but  never  oc- 
curs in  staggers.  But,  as  this  symptom  is  said  not 
to  occur  in  every  instance  of  sturdy ;  where  it 
does  not,  much  doubt  must  attend  our  decision  : 
for  water  in  the  ventricles  of  the  brain  will 
always  be  attended  with  more  violent  symptoms 
and  more  sudden  death,  than  where  it  presses  on 
the  outward  surface  ;  as  it  does  in  all  those  cases 
of  sturdy  which  are  accompanied  by  the  softness 
on  the  skull,  and  in  which  I  believe  trepanning  or 
wiring,  to  be  the  only  remedies :  and  as  in  this 
case,  it  can  be  easily  performed,  trepanning  is  un- 
questionably to  be  preferred. 

Claveau^  Sheep  Pox.  Of  this  fatal  disease  I 
have  had  but  too  much  experience.  It  was 
brought  to  me  last  fall  in  a  small  flock  of  twenty- 
five  sheep,  purchased  by  Messrs.  Murray  and 
Sons,  from  Mr.  Havens  ;  and  about  the  same 
time  was  brought  to  my  neighbour,  Mr.  Broom, 
in  a  number  of  very  sickly  sheep,  sent  to  him  by 
Mr.  Vigars,  of  New-York.  Of  those  sent  to  me, 
three  died  before  I  received  them  ;  and  soon  after 
several  more,  before  I  suspected  any  other  com- 
plaint than  the  scab,  and  othv^r  consequences  of 
confinement  during  their  voyage  from  Spain.  At 


106  .  The  Shepherds'  Guide. 

length   I  discovtred  a  black  nigged  scab  on  the 
cbctk   of  one  ;  and  on  examining  it  careiuily,   I 
found  beneath   a  foul  stinking  ulcer,  which  h.id 
eaten  partly  through  the  cheek,  and  was  spread- 
ing in  every  direction.    On  examining  the  rest  of 
the  fiock,  the  same  complaint,  but  in  a  less  degree, 
was  discovered  on  five  or  six  more.   A  corrosive 
wash,  composed  of  the  vitriolic  acid  and  water, 
and  another  of  a  solution  of  Roman  vitriol,  well 
rubbed  into  the  very  bottom  of  the  ulcer,  so   as 
completely  to  destroy  its  surface,  soon  sweetened 
the  discharge,  and  gave  the  ulcer  a  healthy  appear- 
ance :   by  this  several  were   cured,  but  notwith- 
standing ail  the  care  I  could  bestow  on  them, 
several  also  died.     While  this  was  doing,  and 
while  at  the  same  time  I  w^as  rubbing  one  of  the 
sheep  with  Mr.  Daubenton's  remedy,  {spirits  of 
turpentine  a  .  d  grease)  to  cure  it  of  the  scab,  I 
discovered  on  the  back  of  one,  several  tumours, 
about  the  size  of  a  sixpence,   from  which    the 
wool  had  fallen  off,  and  which  on  being  pressed, 
discharged  from  a  very  small  opening,  a  whitish 
matter,  so  thick  as  to  retain  the  form  of  a  small 
worm.     The  same  tumours  were  after  this  dis- 
covered in  several  other  sheep  ;  and  it  was  these 
which   first  excited  a  suspicion  of  the  nature  of 
the  disease.     Whilst  reading  Laysterie's  account 
of  the  introduction  of  fine-woolled  sheep  into 
Euro])c ,  I  remarked  his  description  of  the  mode 
of  procuring  matter  for  inoculating  for  claveau ;. 


The  Shepherds'  Gmde.  107 

by  pressing  the  tumour  xvith  the  finger^  a7id 
forcing  out  the  matter^  in  order  to  take  it  on  the 
point  of  a  lancet,  I  now  visited  Mr.  Broom's 
flock,  where  I  found  the  disease  in  a  more  recent 
state  ;  and  on  comparing  what  I  there  saw  with 
the  appearances  in  my  own  flock,  and  with  a 
most  full  and  accurate  description  of  the  disease, 
published  in  a  treatise  on  cattle,  by  Mr.  John 
Mills,  London,  1786  :  no  farther  doubt  remained. 
We  had  introduced  into  our  flocks  the  claveaii^ 
sheep  poXy  a  disease  in  many  respects  resembling, 
and  equally  infectious  with  the  small  pox,  in  the 
human  species.  The  first  idea  was  to  stop  the 
infection,  by  carefuil}'  sc  parating  the  sick  from  the 
healthy  sheep  ;  which  we  found,  as  I  believe  it  al- 
ways will  be  found,  a  vain  attempt,  as  far  as  it  re- 
gards those  sheep  with  which  the  infected  have 
run,  even  for  a  short  time  :  but  which,  on  the 
other  hand,  has  proved  a  perfect  and  complete 
protection  for  such  flocks  as  have  not  actually  run. 
together  ;  even  where  the  distance  dividing  such 
flocks  was  so  small  a  space  as  a  narrow  lane  of  two 
rods  wide.  I  have  kept  ail  this  winter  and  spring  a 
flock  of  half-blood,  which  have  hadno  greater  sepa- 
ration than  such  a  lane ;  and  whilst  every  sheep  and 
lamb  in  my  sick  flock  has  had  the  disease,  not 
one  of  either  in  the  other  has  taken  it ;  nor  has 
the  disease  appeared  in  any  of  my  neighbours' 
flock,  nor  in  those  of  Mr.  Broom's  neighbours. 
The  sheep  pox  commences  by  a  heavy,  watery, 


108  The  Shepherds^  Guide. 

and  slightly  inflamed  eye,  some  swelling  of  the 
lips,  and  a  discharge  from  the  nose,  very  soon 
succeeded  by  an  eruption  round  the  mouth  on  the 
edges  of  the  lips,  and  particularly  at  the  corners 
of  the  mouth.  In  some  instances  of  the  mildest 
specits  of  the  disease,  these  have  been  all  the 
symptoms  which  have  appeared.  The  eruption 
has  dried  into  small  black  scabs,  which  have  fall- 
en off  in  tight  or  ten  days,  and  left  the  sheep  quite 
We'll.  In  the  next  degree  of  the  disease,  on  ex- 
amining the  sheep,  an  eruption  of  various  size 
and  shape  is  found  on  the  inside  and  naked  parts 
of  the  thighs  and  belly  ;  some  of  the  pustules  are 
small  and  round,  others  broad  and  flat ;  and  some 
are  likewise  discovered  under  the  wool  on  difl^er- 
ent  parts  of  the  body.  These  pustules  grow 
yellow  on  the  tops,  and  discharge  a  small  quanti- 
tv  of  matter,  which  dries  into  a  blackish  scab. 
Still  this  is  to  be  considered  as  the  mild  and  dis- 
tinct species  of  the  disease,  and  is  attended  with 
no  great  danger.  The  confluent  and  malignant 
species  of  the  disease  commences  with  a  more 
violent  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  a  more  manifest 
and  considerable  swelling  of  the  lips,  and  a  great- 
er and  more  purulent  discharge  from  the  nose. 
The  eruptions  on  the  naked  parts  of  the  body  are 
very  numerous,  broad  and  flat,  of  a  reddish 
brown,  or  purple  .^olour ;  and  are  likewise  dis- 
covered under  th=^  wool,  on  every  part  of  the 
body.     The  animal  appears  very  sick>  dull,  and 


The  Shepherds'  Guide.  109 

stupid  ;  and  refuses  food,  partly  from  loss  of  ap- 
petite, but  more  evidently  from  the  soreness  of 
its  mouth;  on  every  part  of  which,  tongue,  gums,, 
and  on  the  inside  of  the  lips,  the  eruption  is  dis- 
covered. Of  these  malignant  cases  some  have 
died  in  twenty-four  and  thirty-six  hours  :  others 
have  struggled  through  eight  or  ten  days,  and  a 
few,  but  very  few,  have  recovered.  Between 
these  grades  of  mild  and  malignant  claveau,  the 
variety  has  been  almost  as  great  as  the  number 
of  animals  seized.  But  neither  in  the  confluent, 
or  mild  species,  was  any  high  degree  of  fever 
manifested  by  hot  feet,  ears,  or  mouth  ;  which, 
in  general,  were  rather  below  their  natural  de- 
gree of  heat  J  and  in  some  of  the  worst  cases, 
were  actually  cold.  Nor  did  the  breathing  of- 
ten become  quick  and  laborious  until  very  near 
the  fatal  termination  of  the  disease. 

Of  the  lambs,  some  were  seized  within  three 
days  after  birth,  so  that  I  believe  they  must  have 
brought  the  infection  with  them:  others  were 
not  seized  until  they  were  eight,  ten,  or  fourteen 
days  old  ;  and  I  thought  evidently  took  the  dis- 
ease from  the  older  and  more  early  infected  lambs. 

The  little  animals,  in  general,  appeared  to  droop 
for  a  day  or  two  ;  and  then  the  first  symptom,  as  in 
the  older  sheep,  was  an  inflammation  of  the  eye- 
lids and  lips.  This  was  soon  followed  by  the 
eruption,  which  appeared  very  thick  and  florid  on 
the  inside  of  the  thighs,  and  other  naked  parts, 
and  could  be  felt  on  every  part  of  the    body. 

K 


no  The  Shepherds*'  Guide. 

From  day  to  day  the  number  of  the  eruptions  ap*- 
peared  to  increase,  and  to  collect  in  large  clusters, 
particularly  about  the  neck,  throat  and  jaws ;  by 
which,  although  the  lambs  retained  an  appe- 
tite for  the  teat,  they  were  at  length  prevent- 
ed from  sucking.  In  a  few  of  the  old  sheep,  al- 
though the  eruption  was  very  numerous,  the  ma- 
turation of  the  pock  was  perfect,  and  in  general, 
such  recovered.  But  more  frequendy  it  was 
very  imperfect  in  the  old  sheep  -,  and  in  the  young 
Iambs,  I  saw  none  that  maturated  at  all,  where 
the  eruption  was  general  over  the  body  ;  and  all 
such  died.  But  where  the  eruption  was  chiefly 
confined  to  the  mouth  and  pudenda,  a  kindly 
maturation  took  place  and  they  recovered.  Upon 
the  whole,  this,  disease  proved  fatal  to  more  than 
one  third,  nearly  half  of  the  old  sheep  j  and  to 
three  fourths  of  the  lambs  which  were  attacked. 

The  relics  of  this  disease,  like  those  of  the 
small  pox,  are  various  and  terrible.  I  have  al- 
ready mentioned  the  putrid  and  corroding  ulcers 
about  the  mouth.  Some  had  imposthumations, 
especially  about  the  head,  which  on  being  open- 
ed, discharged  a  greenish  and  offensive  matter  ; 
but  the  eyes  most  frequently  suffered  ;  the  ball  of 
the  eye  itself  imposthumating  and  bursting,  and 
this  symptom  attended  and  followed  some  of  the 
milder  cases :  in  one,  a  fine  full-blooded  ram, 
no  other. symptom  was  discovered. 

Treatment.     It   will  readily  be  conceived  that 
in  a  disease  of  this  nature,  no  more  than  in  the 


The  Shepherds' Guide.  Ill 

small  pox  in  the  human  species,  nothing  like  cure 
can  be  attempted  with  success  ;  if  by   cure    is 
meant  to  put  a  stop  to  the  progress  of  the  disease. 
Like  all  diseases   of  this  kind,  it  must,  and  will 
run  through  its  stages :   and  all  that  can  be  done 
is  by  a  well  regulated  diet,  and  by  attention  to 
the   state   of  the  bowels,  and  attempting  to  miti- 
gate any  violent  and  untoward  symptom,  to  con- 
duct the  animal  safely  through  it.     At  first,  as  I 
have  said  in  the  hope  of  stopping  the  spread  of 
the  disease,^  every  sheep  that  was  attacked  was 
immediately    and  carefully  separated  from  the 
flock ;   but  soon  finding  this  a  vain  attempt,   it 
was  abandoned  ;  and  those  only  which  were  more 
seriously  attacked  were  taken  to  my    hospital, 
that  they  might  be  more  particularly  attended  to. 
The   milder  cases  were  left  in  the  flock  to  com- 
mon treatment  and  common  food  ;  except,  that  in- 
stead of  corn,  the  whole  flock  had  bran  and  water 
with  hay.      Those  that  were  taken  to  the  hos- 
pital had  chiefly  roots  and  bran  ;  and  those  whose 
mouths  were  so  sore  that  they  could  not  eat  hay, 
©r  even  roots,  were  supported  on  gruel,  given 
three  or  four  times  in  a  day  by  means  of  a  bottle. 
The  only  medicine  given,  was  brimstone  and  mo- 
lasses, yeast  and  molasses,  and  in  some  cases,  a 
little  nitre.     Sore  mouths  were  constantly  cleans- 
ed with  vinegar  and  water  ;  and  when  they  began 
to  ulcerate,  with  one  of  the  caustic  solutions  men- 
tioned above.      In  a  few  of  the  worst  cases,  mer- 


tl2  The  Shepherds^  Guide* 

curial  ointment  was  rubbed  freely  under  the  axil- 
lee  and  on  the  thighs.  To  two  or  three  I  gave  cal- 
omel freely,  to  try  how  far  mercurials  might  miti- 
gate the  symptoms.  Under  such  treatment,  most 
of  the  mild,  and  a  very  few  of  the  more  severe^ 
cases  recovered :  and  one  very  malignant  and 
confluent  case  in  my  neighbour  Mr.  Broom's 
flock,  recovered  under  the  free  use  of  mercury. 

Inoculation  for  diis  disease  is  recommended  in 
many  parts  of  Europe  ',  and  Mr.  Laysterie  assures 
us,  with  efficacy  and  success.  As  soon,  therefore, 
as  I  was  assured  of  the  disease,  I  made  the  at- 
tempt ;  but  I  cannot  say  with  any  considerable 
success.  In  the  first  place,  I  found  it  difficult  to 
procure  matter,  and  when  1  had  succeeded  so  far, 
I  again  found  it  very  difficult  to  communicate  the 
disease  with  any  certainty,  although  I  performed 
the  operation  with  great  care,  and  in  every  mode 
I  could  think  of:  with  a  thread,  with  the  scab, 
and  with  fresh  fluid  matter  :  and  where  the  sheep 
or  lamb  took  the  disease,  many  diedr  But  I  con- 
fess, I  was  by  no  means  certain  they  had  not  ta- 
ken the  disease  before  inoculation,  in  the  natural 
way.  A  very  few  evidently  took  the  disease 
from  the  inoculation,  and  went  through  it  with 
safety.  I  vaccinated  seven,  but  I  was  not  sure 
that  one  took  the  cow-pock.  Yet  the  analogy  be- 
tween the  claveau  in  sheep,  and  the  smallpox  in 
man  is  so  great,  that  if  the  dtsease  should  again 
appear,  I  would  recommend,  and  would  myself 
again  attempt  inoculation. 


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